HR 4623
Plain Prescription Prices Act
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Bill overview
The Plain Prescription Prices Act aims to increase transparency in advertising for prescription drugs covered by Medicare and Medicaid. It requires television advertisements for these drugs to include a clear, truthful statement of the drug’s list price for a typical course of treatment. This is intended to help consumers understand the cost of medications before they are advertised. The bill directs the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to create regulations implementing this requirement.
Key provisions
- Requires television advertisements for Medicare/Medicaid-covered prescription drugs to display a list price.
- The list price must be determined on the first day of the quarter the advertisement airs.
- The list price statement must be truthful and not misleading.
- The regulations must cover typical 30-day regimens or courses of treatment.
- The Administrator will determine the format and enforcement of the regulations.
- The Administrator will consider applying the regulations to additional advertising formats.
Who is affected
- Pharmaceutical companies
- Television advertising networks
- Consumers of prescription drugs covered by Medicare and Medicaid
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Notable changes
- This bill mandates the inclusion of list prices in direct-to-consumer television advertisements for specific prescription drugs.
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119th CONGRESS — 1st Session
H. R. 4623
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
A BILL
To require direct-to-consumer advertisements for prescription drugs and biological products to include truthful and not misleading pricing information.
This Act may be cited as the Plain Prescription Prices Act
.
Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (referred to in this section as the Administrator
), shall promulgate regulations requiring each direct-to-consumer advertisement on television (including broadcast, cable, streaming, and satellite television) for a prescription drug or biological product for which payment is available under title XVIII or XIX of the Social Security Act to include a textual statement, which shall be truthful and not misleading, indicating the list price, as determined on the first day of the quarter during which the advertisement is being aired or otherwise broadcast, for a typical 30-day regimen or typical course of treatment (whichever is most appropriate).
In promulgating regulations under subsection (a), the Administrator shall determine—
whether such regulations should apply with respect to additional forms of advertising;
the manner and format of textual statements described in such subsection;
appropriate enforcement mechanisms; and
whether such textual statements should include any other price information, as appropriate.