PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Mar 11, 2025
Protecting Pharmacies in Medicaid Act
This bill provides funds beginning in FY2026 for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to survey retail and non-retail pharmacies (e.g., mail-order pharmacies) to determine average prices of covered outpatient drugs under Medicaid. Pharmacies that fail to participate in the surveys are subject to civil penalties.
The bill additionally provides funds for FY2026 for the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services to study the results of the survey and report accordingly to Congress.
The bill also requires pass-through pricing models, and prohibits spread-pricing, for payment arrangements with pharmacy benefit managers under Medicaid.
People & committees
Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT] · D–VT
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Mar 9, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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