This legislation aims to prevent potential conflicts of interest within the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program by prohibiting common ownership between entities managing drug benefits and those dispensing drugs. It makes it unlawful for the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to contract with a Federal employee health benefit carrier if that carrier owns or operates a pharmacy or a pharmacy benefit manager (PBM). The bill further prohibits OPM or a qualified carrier from contracting with any PBM that directly or indirectly owns, operates, or controls a pharmacy. This measure seeks to ensure that entities managing prescription drug benefits for federal employees are separate from those dispensing the drugs, promoting greater competition and transparency. The legislation includes broad definitions for both "pharmacy" and "pharmacy benefit manager" to encompass various types of operations and services, such as mail-order, specialty pharmacies, and PBMs involved in price negotiation or network management. It also clarifies that its provisions do not limit the existing authority of federal agencies like the Federal Trade Commission or state attorneys general to enforce other laws.
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Timeline
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
Health
Fair Pharmacies for Federal Employees Act of 2025
USA119th CongressHR-4409| House
| Updated: 7/15/2025
This legislation aims to prevent potential conflicts of interest within the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program by prohibiting common ownership between entities managing drug benefits and those dispensing drugs. It makes it unlawful for the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to contract with a Federal employee health benefit carrier if that carrier owns or operates a pharmacy or a pharmacy benefit manager (PBM). The bill further prohibits OPM or a qualified carrier from contracting with any PBM that directly or indirectly owns, operates, or controls a pharmacy. This measure seeks to ensure that entities managing prescription drug benefits for federal employees are separate from those dispensing the drugs, promoting greater competition and transparency. The legislation includes broad definitions for both "pharmacy" and "pharmacy benefit manager" to encompass various types of operations and services, such as mail-order, specialty pharmacies, and PBMs involved in price negotiation or network management. It also clarifies that its provisions do not limit the existing authority of federal agencies like the Federal Trade Commission or state attorneys general to enforce other laws.