PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Congressional Research Service
Version 49 · Public Law · Oct 10, 2018
Patient Right to Know Drug Prices Act
(Sec. 2) This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to prohibit a health insurance plan or pharmacy benefits manager from restricting a pharmacy from informing an enrollee of any difference between the out-of-pocket cost of a drug under the plan and the cost of the drug without health insurance coverage. (Such restrictions are commonly referred to as gag clauses.)
(Sec. 3) The bill also amends the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 to apply certain antitrust filing requirements for generic drug applicants to biosimilar biological product applicants. (Biosimilar biological products, commonly referred to as biosimilars, are biological products approved by the Food and Drug Administration based on their similarity to an already-approved biological product.) Under current law, generic drug applicants that make agreements with brand name drug companies or other generic drug applicants regarding the manufacture, marketing, or sale of their drugs must file such agreements with the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice. The bill subjects biosimilar biological product applicants to the same filing requirements.
People & committees
Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME] · R–ME
Legislative record
A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.
Became Public Law No: 115-263.
Became Public Law No: 115-263.
Signed by President.
Signed by President.
Presented to President.
Presented to President.
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H8795-8796)
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H8795-8796)
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 2554.
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H8795-8799)
Mr. Carter (GA) moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
Held at the desk.
Received in the House.
Message on Senate action sent to the House.
Passed Senate with an amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 98 - 2. Record Vote Number: 209.
Senate roll call 209 · Individual votesPassed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 98 - 2. Record Vote Number: 209.
Senate roll call 209 · Individual votesMeasure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S6179-6180)
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 549.
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Reported by Senator Alexander with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Reported by Senator Alexander with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.
Source last updated: Apr 21, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
AI Conversation Starters
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.
Analyze S.2554 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.
Examine S.2554 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.
Examine S.2554 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.
Examine S.2554 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.