Legis Daily

Lower Health Care Costs Act

USA116th CongressS-1895| Senate 
| Updated: 7/8/2019
Lamar Alexander

Lamar Alexander

Republican Senator

Tennessee

Cosponsors (2)
Joni Ernst (Republican)Patty Murray (Democratic)

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
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.

Bill Text Versions

View Text
2 versions available

Suggested Questions

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Timeline
Jun 19, 2019
Introduced in Senate
Jun 19, 2019
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Jun 26, 2019
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Jul 8, 2019
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Reported by Senator Alexander with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
Jul 8, 2019
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 133.
  • June 19, 2019
    Introduced in Senate


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


  • June 26, 2019
    Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.


  • July 8, 2019
    Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Reported by Senator Alexander with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.


  • July 8, 2019
    Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 133.

Health

Related Bills

  • S 116-1140: Protecting Access to Biosimilars Act of 2019
  • S 116-1897: A bill to establish a process for updating the labeling of certain drugs with outdated labeling.
  • HR 116-5304: PBM Transparency in Prescription Drug Costs Act
  • HR 116-2296: More Efficient Tools to Realize Information for Consumers Act
  • HR 116-5668: MODERN Labeling Act of 2020
  • S 116-1793: Saving Lives Through Better Data Act
  • HR 116-6155: To 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.
  • HR 116-5321: Public Health Infrastructure Modernization Act of 2019
  • HR 116-965: CREATES Act of 2019
  • S 116-1619: VACCINES Act
Aviation and airportsBlood and blood diseasesChild healthCivil actions and liabilityCompetition and antitrustComputers and information technologyComputer security and identity theftCongressional oversightDisability and health-based discriminationDrug, alcohol, tobacco useDrug safety, medical device, and laboratory regulationEducation programs fundingEmergency medical services and trauma careEmployee benefits and pensionsGovernment information and archivesGovernment studies and investigationsHealth care costs and insuranceHealth care coverage and accessHealth care qualityHealth facilities and institutionsHealth information and medical recordsHealth personnelHealth programs administration and fundingHealth promotion and preventive careHealth technology, devices, suppliesHome and outpatient careImmunology and vaccinationIndian social and development programsIntellectual propertyLicensing and registrationsMedical educationMental healthMinority healthNursingNutrition and dietPhysical fitness and lifestylePrescription drugsPublic participation and lobbyingPublic-private cooperationRight of privacyWomen's health

Lower Health Care Costs Act

USA116th CongressS-1895| Senate 
| Updated: 7/8/2019
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.

Bill Text Versions

View Text
2 versions available

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline
Jun 19, 2019
Introduced in Senate
Jun 19, 2019
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Jun 26, 2019
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Jul 8, 2019
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Reported by Senator Alexander with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
Jul 8, 2019
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 133.
  • June 19, 2019
    Introduced in Senate


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


  • June 26, 2019
    Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.


  • July 8, 2019
    Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Reported by Senator Alexander with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.


  • July 8, 2019
    Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 133.
Lamar Alexander

Lamar Alexander

Republican Senator

Tennessee

Cosponsors (2)
Joni Ernst (Republican)Patty Murray (Democratic)

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

Health

Related Bills

  • S 116-1140: Protecting Access to Biosimilars Act of 2019
  • S 116-1897: A bill to establish a process for updating the labeling of certain drugs with outdated labeling.
  • HR 116-5304: PBM Transparency in Prescription Drug Costs Act
  • HR 116-2296: More Efficient Tools to Realize Information for Consumers Act
  • HR 116-5668: MODERN Labeling Act of 2020
  • S 116-1793: Saving Lives Through Better Data Act
  • HR 116-6155: To 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.
  • HR 116-5321: Public Health Infrastructure Modernization Act of 2019
  • HR 116-965: CREATES Act of 2019
  • S 116-1619: VACCINES Act
  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Aviation and airportsBlood and blood diseasesChild healthCivil actions and liabilityCompetition and antitrustComputers and information technologyComputer security and identity theftCongressional oversightDisability and health-based discriminationDrug, alcohol, tobacco useDrug safety, medical device, and laboratory regulationEducation programs fundingEmergency medical services and trauma careEmployee benefits and pensionsGovernment information and archivesGovernment studies and investigationsHealth care costs and insuranceHealth care coverage and accessHealth care qualityHealth facilities and institutionsHealth information and medical recordsHealth personnelHealth programs administration and fundingHealth promotion and preventive careHealth technology, devices, suppliesHome and outpatient careImmunology and vaccinationIndian social and development programsIntellectual propertyLicensing and registrationsMedical educationMental healthMinority healthNursingNutrition and dietPhysical fitness and lifestylePrescription drugsPublic participation and lobbyingPublic-private cooperationRight of privacyWomen's health