PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the Subcommittee on Employer-Employee Relations.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · May 1, 1997
Prescription Drug Benefit Equity Act of 1997 - Amends the Public Health Service Act and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 to prohibit a group health plan (and a health insurance issuer offering group coverage) from providing mail-order prescription drug coverage without also providing non-mail-order prescription drug coverage meeting benefit and cost-sharing requirements. Prohibits monetary payments or rebates to encourage an individual to accept less than the minimum protections available under this Act. Amends the Public Health Service Act to apply the requirements of this Act to issuers in the individual market. Amends titles XVIII (Medicare) and XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to require health maintenance organizations, competitive medical plans, State Medicaid plans, issuers of Medicare supplemental policies, and Medicare select policies to meet the requirements of this Act. Amends Federal law relating to health benefits for Federal employees to require compliance with this Act.
People & committees
Rep. Lowey, Nita M. [D-NY-18] · D–NY
Legislative record
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Referred to the Subcommittee on Employer-Employee Relations.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health and Environment.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Human Resources.
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E855)
Referred to House Government Reform
Referred to House Education and the Workforce
Referred to House Ways and Means
Referred to the Committee on Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Education and the Workforce, and Government Reform and Oversight, 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.
Referred to House Commerce
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Jun 3, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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