President Trump has signed into law a set of measures led by Senator Bill Cassidy, chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee. The new provisions aim to lower prescription drug prices and address the role of health care middlemen. These measures were included in appropriations bills passed to end a partial government shutdown.
“President Trump and I agree: these programs should be about lowering the cost for patients, not about increasing profit for shareholders,” said Dr. Cassidy.
The legislation targets incentives used by Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs), which lawmakers say can increase drug costs for patients. Under the new law, drug discounts must be passed on to group health plan sponsors with the intention of reducing costs for patients. The package also contains the Give Kids a Chance Act, co-led by Senators Cassidy and Markwayne Mullin, which seeks to improve access to treatments for children with cancer.
Cassidy’s PBM reform provisions have received support from several organizations representing workers and patients. Supporters include the America First Policy Institute, National Community Pharmacists Association, The ERISA Industry Committee, Partnership for Employer-Sponsored Coverage, Purchaser Business Group on Health, National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions, Silicon Valley Employers Forum, and the CHRO Association.
The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee is responsible for legislating on public health issues as well as education and workforce matters in order to protect health and worker rights (official website). As chair during the 119th Congress (official website), Senator Cassidy has played a central role in shaping federal regulations that affect health care across the United States (official website). The committee oversees federal laws and agencies related to health and labor policy decisions (official website), including agencies such as the FDA and NIH (official website).
For further updates from HELP Republicans, information is available on their website or via Twitter at @GOPHELP.
