PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.

Pharmacy Benefit Manager Reform Act

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 113.

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Apr 27, 2023

Pharmacy Benefit Manager Reform Act

This bill establishes various requirements for pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) with respect to services provided to health insurance plans.

First, PBMs must report annually to the plan sponsor certain information about the PBM's services, including the amount of prescription drug copayment assistance funded by drug manufacturers, a list of covered drugs billed under the plan during the reporting period, and the total net spending by the health plan on prescription drugs. PBMs also must provide plan sponsors with a supplementary report every six months with specified information about drugs that were dispensed under the plan by pharmacies that are wholly or partially owned by the PBM.

Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.

Read full official summaryShow less

Second, the bill prohibits spread pricing. Under the bill, spread pricing occurs when a PBM charges an insurance plan (or an insurance plan charges plan participants) a price for a prescription drug that exceeds the price paid to the pharmacy for the drug.

Finally, PBMs must remit to the plan sponsor all rebates, fees, alternative discounts, and other remuneration received from a drug manufacturer.

The bill establishes civil penalties for violations of these requirements and provides funding for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Department of Labor to implement the provisions of this bill.

Read the summary on Congress.gov
PlainBill analysis is coming later. This page presents official source data. We have not yet published a PlainBill explanation for this bill.

Who introduced it

Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT] · I–VT

Committees

  • Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
4 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

  1. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 113.

  2. Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Reported by Senator Sanders with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.

  3. Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Reported by Senator Sanders with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.

  4. Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

  5. Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

  6. Introduced in Senate

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

Source last updated: Apr 21, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

Explore the bill from different angles

Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.

Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze S.1339 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

View full prompt & sources
Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine S.1339 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

View full prompt & sources
Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine S.1339 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources
Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine S.1339 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources