H.R. 6166: Lowering Drug Costs for American Families Act
The "Lowering Drug Costs for American Families Act" aims to reduce prescription drug prices and make them more affordable for families across the United States. The main provisions of the bill include:
Drug Price Negotiations
The bill seeks to expand the ability to negotiate prices for prescription drugs. This could mean that federal health programs would have more authority to directly negotiate prices with pharmaceutical companies, potentially leading to lower costs for consumers.
Repeal of Previous Law Changes
It proposes to repeal certain changes made by previous legislation that may have limited negotiation capabilities or affected drug pricing structures in a way that led to higher costs for consumers.
Inflation Rebates
The legislation would also apply inflation rebates a broader range of commercially sold drugs. This means that if drug prices increase faster than inflation, companies may have to pay rebates or face penalties to keep prices in check, which would help lower prices for consumers.
Out-of-Pocket Limits
A significant highlight of the bill is the imposition of out-of-pocket limits on prescription drug expenses for individuals covered by private health insurance plans. This is intended to protect consumers from excessive drug costs and to ensure that they are not spending more than a specified amount on their medications each year.
Child-Only Plans and Insulin Coverage
The bill includes provisions requiring health insurance issuers to offer child-only plans for individuals under the age of 21. In addition, it mandates that certain insulin products be provided without deductibles, and that copayments for these products are capped at $35 for a 30-day supply. This aims to ensure that children who require insulin can access this essential medication without significant financial barriers, starting in 2027.
Implementation Authority
The Secretary of Health and Human Services is granted the authority to implement the provisions of this bill through guidance or interim rules, allowing for flexibility in how these measures are enacted.
Summary
In summary, the bill takes multiple steps to address prescription drug pricing in the United States, focusing on negotiation, cost control, and ensuring that vulnerable populations, such as children, have access to essential medications at an affordable rate.
Relevant Companies
- PFE - Pfizer: A major pharmaceutical company that may be affected by price negotiations and potential rebates based on expected price adjustments.
- MRK - Merck: Another large pharmaceutical firm that could face changes regarding how drug prices are set and negotiated under this bill.
- UNH - UnitedHealth Group: As a health insurance issuer, the company might be impacted by the new requirements for offering child-only plans and capping out-of-pocket costs for patients.
This is an AI-generated summary of the bill text. There may be mistakes.
Sponsors
46 bill sponsors
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TrackFrank Pallone, Jr.
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TrackYassamin Ansari
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TrackJoyce Beatty
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TrackSuzanne Bonamici
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TrackAndré Carson
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TrackJudy Chu
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TrackYvette D. Clarke
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TrackJim Costa
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TrackJoe Courtney
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TrackAngie Craig
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TrackSharice Davids
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TrackSuzan K. DelBene
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TrackChristopher R. Deluzio
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TrackMaxine Dexter
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TrackDebbie Dingell
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TrackLizzie Fletcher
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TrackLois Frankel
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TrackRobert Garcia
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TrackLaura Gillen
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TrackDaniel S. Goldman
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TrackSteny H. Hoyer
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TrackJulie Johnson
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TrackRaja Krishnamoorthi
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TrackGreg Landsman
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TrackJohn B. Larson
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TrackTed Lieu
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TrackJohn Mannion
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TrackDoris O. Matsui
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TrackJennifer L. McClellan
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TrackLaMonica McIver
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TrackRichard E. Neal
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TrackEleanor Holmes Norton
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TrackIlhan Omar
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TrackMike Quigley
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TrackEmily Randall
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TrackJosh Riley
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TrackJanice D. Schakowsky
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TrackRobert C. "Bobby" Scott
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TrackLateefah Simon
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TrackMelanie A. Stansbury
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TrackShri Thanedar
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TrackPaul Tonko
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TrackLauren Underwood
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TrackDebbie Wasserman Schultz
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TrackMaxine Waters
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Tracknan
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Actions
2 actions
| Date | Action |
|---|---|
| Nov. 20, 2025 | Introduced in House |
| Nov. 20, 2025 | Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and Education and Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. |
Corporate Lobbying
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