To require the Federal Trade Commission to study the role of intermediaries in the pharmaceutical supply chain and provide Congress with appropriate policy recommendations, and for other purposes.
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
ReportedReported by Mr. Grassley, without amendment
Mr. Grassley (for himself, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Marshall, Mr. Welch, …
Mr. Grassley (for himself, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Marshall, Mr. Welch, …
Summary
What This Bill Does
Directs the FTC to study and report on pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) pricing practices, vertical integration, and impact on drug costs. Examines whether PBMs steer patients to affiliated pharmacies or manipulate formularies.
Who Benefits and How
- Congress receives comprehensive analysis of PBM practices
- Consumers and payers may gain transparency on drug pricing intermediaries
- Independent pharmacies may benefit if study reveals anticompetitive practices
Who Bears the Burden and How
- FTC must conduct comprehensive study within 1 year
- PBMs face scrutiny of pricing, audit, and steering practices
- Healthcare intermediaries subject to competition analysis
Key Provisions
- Study whether PBMs charge payers more than they reimburse pharmacies
- Examine patient steering to PBM-owned pharmacies
- Analyze use of proprietary pharmacy data for competitive advantage
- Assess formulary designs effect on drug costs
Evidence Chain:
This summary is derived from the structured analysis below. See "Detailed Analysis" for per-title beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
Primary Purpose
Requires FTC study of pharmacy benefit managers and pharmaceutical supply chain intermediaries
Policy Domains
Legislative Strategy
"Build evidence base for potential PBM regulation through FTC study"
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "the_commission"
- → Federal Trade Commission
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology