The US House and Senate returned from recess, beginning a three-week sprint toward the August break. The bipartisan healthcare legislation on pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and healthcare transparency is moving through both the House and Senate.
The House Education and the Workforce Committee held a markup of a bipartisan healthcare package of four bills. The July 12 markup included four bills under the committee’s jurisdiction related to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, to increase cost transparency for employers and patients, increase oversight of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), lower premiums, reduce healthcare spending and increase competition by removing incentives for provider consolidation.
- H.R. 4509, the Transparency in Billing Act, would require accurate billing practices by hospitals, ensuring that group health plans pay for appropriately billed services. The bill advanced by a vote of 39–0.
- H.R. 4507, the Transparency in Coverage Act, would codify the Transparency in Coverage final rule, which would provide consumers with price transparency for medical services and prescription drugs, and bring light to PBM practices. The bill advanced by a vote of 38–1.
- H.R. 4527, the Health DATA Act, would ensure that health plan fiduciaries are not contractually restricted from receiving cost or quality of care information about their plan, including by adding PBMs to the list of groups that can be liable for violating gag clause provisions. The bill advanced by a vote of 38–1.
- H.R. 4508, the Hidden Fee Disclosure Act, would strengthen requirements that PBMs and Third-Party Administrators disclose compensation to plan fiduciaries. The bill advanced by a vote of 39–1.
Almost every House and Senate committee with healthcare jurisdiction has now considered bipartisan PBM reform and healthcare transparency and consolidation reforms. This week, the Senate Finance Committee released a draft bill that would require increased disclosures by PBMs about their business practices. The Senate Finance Committee also announced a markup on July 26 to consider a package of PBM legislation.
