S. 1895 — Lower Health Care Costs Act

Summary

Lower Health Care Costs Act

This bill makes a series of changes relating to health care coverage, costs, and services.

Among other things, the bill

applies in-network cost-sharing requirements to certain emergency and related nonemergency services that are provided out-of-network, and prohibits health care facilities and practitioners from billing above the applicable in-network cost-sharing rate for such services;
revises certain requirements in order to expedite the approval of generics and biosimilars, including requirements relating to citizen petitions, application effective dates, and labeling;
requires health care facilities and practitioners to give patients a list of provided services upon discharge and to bill for such services within 45 days;
limits prices that pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) may charge health insurers or enrollees for prescription drugs, based on prices paid by PBMs to pharmacies;
establishes grant programs to support vaccinations and data modernization; and
requires health insurers to make certain information, including estimated out-of-pocket costs, accessible to enrollees through specified technology (e.g., mobile applications).

The bill also makes several additional changes relating to public health, including raising the minimum age to purchase tobacco products from 18 to 21.

Related Legislation

H.R. 965CREATES Act of 2019

2019-05-16Supplemental report filed by the Committee on the Judiciary, H. Rept. 116-55, Part III.

H.R. 2011Protecting Access to Biosimilars Act of 2019

2019-04-02Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

H.R. 2296FAIR Drug Pricing Act of 2019

2019-09-24Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 170.

H.R. 4215Excellence in Maternal Health Act of 2019

2019-09-03Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

H.R. 4400Advancing Education on Biosimilars Act of 2019

2019-09-20Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

H.R. 5199ECHO Act of 2019

2019-11-21Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

H.R. 5304PBM Transparency in Prescription Drug Costs Act

2019-12-05Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

H.R. 5386Promoting Better Patient Data Security Act of 2019

2019-12-11Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

S. 192Community and Public Health Programs Extension Act

2019-01-18Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

S. 659Biologic Patent Transparency Act

2019-03-05Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

S. 1140Protecting Access to Biosimilars Act of 2019

2019-04-11Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

S. 1391Fair Accountability and Innovative Research Drug Pricing Act of 2019

2019-05-09Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

S. 1618ECHO 2019 Act

2019-05-22Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

S. 1619VACCINES Act

2019-05-22Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

S. 1636Ensuring Innovation Act

2020-12-15Held at the desk.

S. 1793Saving Lives Through Better Data Act

2019-06-12Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S3365)

S. 1805Better Tools for Healthy Living Act

2019-06-12Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

H.R. 5668Making Objective Drug Evidence Revisions for New Labeling Act of 2020

2020-11-18Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

S. 1897A bill to establish a process for updating the labeling of certain drugs with outdated labeling.

2019-06-19Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

H.R. 6155To amend the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act of 2009 to make improvements with respect to the transition of biological products, and for other purposes.

2020-03-09Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Legislative Actions

2019-06-19

Introduced in Senate

2019-06-19

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

2019-06-26

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

2019-07-08

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

2019-07-08

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

2019-07-08

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 133.

Lower Health Care Costs Act

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