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United States · Bill · HR

H.R. 4646 (105th)

To provide for substantial reductions in the price of prescription drugs for Medicare beneficiaries.

referredUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

26 September 1998

Last action

30 September 1998 · Referred

Status

Referred to the Subcommittee on Health and Environment.

Sponsors

Rep. Turner, Jim [D-TX-2], Rep. Maloney, James H. [D-CT-5], Rep. Carson, Julia [D-IN-7], Rep. Goode, Virgil H., Jr. [R-VA-5], Rep. Kucinich, Dennis J. [D-OH-10], Rep. Evans, Lane [D-IL-17], Rep. Luther, Bill [D-MN-6], Rep. McKinney, Cynthia A. [D-GA-4], Rep. McCarthy, Carolyn [D-NY-4], Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2], Rep. Stupak, Bart [D-MI-1], Rep. Pelosi, Nancy [D-CA-11], Rep. Spratt, John M., Jr. [D-SC-5], Rep. Peterson, Collin C. [D-MN-7], Rep. John, Christopher [D-LA-7], Sen. Stabenow, Debbie [D-MI], Rep. Davis, Danny K. [D-IL-7], Rep. Pomeroy, Earl [D-ND-At Large], Rep. DeGette, Diana [D-CO-1], Rep. Tierney, John F. [D-MA-6], Rep. Ford, Harold E., Jr. [D-TN-9], Rep. Farr, Sam [D-CA-20], Rep. Minge, David [D-MN-2], Rep. Waxman, Henry A. [D-CA-33], Rep. Berry, Marion [D-AR-1], Rep. Sanchez, Loretta [D-CA-46], Rep. Delahunt, William D. [D-MA-10], Rep. Johnson, Eddie Bernice [D-TX-30], Rep. Jackson, Jesse L., Jr. [D-IL-2], Rep. Hooley, Darlene [D-OR-5], Rep. Tanner, John S. [D-TN-8], Rep. Capps, Lois [D-CA-24], Rep. Bishop, Sanford D. [D-GA-2], Rep. Engel, Eliot L. [D-NY-16], Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH], Rep. Sawyer, Tom [D-OH-14], Rep. Jackson Lee, Sheila [D-TX-18], Rep. Pallone, Frank [D-NJ-6], Rep. Clement, Bob [D-TN-5], Rep. Eshoo, Anna G. [D-CA-18], Rep. Wexler, Robert [D-FL-19], Rep. Meeks, Gregory W. [D-NY-5], Rep. Condit, Gary A. [D-CA-18], Rep. Blumenauer, Earl [D-OR-3], Rep. Kind, Ron [D-WI-3], Rep. Maloney, Carolyn B. [D-NY-12], Rep. Matsui, Robert T. [D-CA-5], Rep. Sandlin, Max [D-TX-1]

Subjects

Healthcare

Source updated

3 June 2026

Healthcare

Official sourceDownload fileView documentsShare

Summary

Prescription Drug Fairness Act - Allows any qualified pharmacy to enter into an agreement with the Secretary of Health and Human Services to enable the pharmacy to sell covered outpatient drugs to Medicare beneficiaries (under title XVIII of the Social Security Act) at a reduced price. Requires such an agreement to: (1) entitle the participating pharmacy to purchase any covered outpatient drug listed on the Federal Supply Schedule of the General Services Administration at the participating pharmacy discount price for that drug; and (2) permit the participating pharmacy to purchase under this Act as much of a covered outpatient drug as it sells to Medicare beneficiaries. Sets forth guidelines for determining the participating pharmacy discount price and a special rule for Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in a hospice program. Directs the Secretary to: (1) administer this Act in a manner that uses existing methods of obtaining and distributing drugs to the maximum extent possible, consistent with efficiency and cost effectiveness; and (2) report to the Congress annually regarding the effectiveness of this Act in protecting Medicare beneficiaries from discriminatory pricing by drug manufacturers, along with any appropriate legislative recommendations to further reduce the cost of covered outpatient drugs to such beneficiaries.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

  1. 26 September 1998

    Introduced

    Referred to House Commerce

    Source: IntroReferral

  2. 26 September 1998

    Introduced

    Referred to the Committee on Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

    Source: IntroReferral

  3. 26 September 1998

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  4. 26 September 1998

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  5. 29 September 1998

    Introduced

    Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H9183-9184)

    Source: IntroReferral

  6. 30 September 1998

    Referred

    Referred to the Subcommittee on Health and Environment.

    Source: Committee

Votes

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Versions

Documents

3 official files

Introduced in House (text)

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  • Introduced in House (text)

    Introduced in House · EN · 26 September 1998

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  • Introduced in House (PDF)

    Introduced in House · EN · 26 September 1998

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  • Introduced in House

    summary · EN · 26 September 1998

    Open at official source

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Sponsors

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Related records

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Sources

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