S-2198 : Still Just a Bill

The Prescription Drug Supply Chain Pricing Transparency Act, or S. 2198, directs the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study and submit a report to Congress regarding price-related compensation and payment structures within the prescription drug supply chain. The study will include:

• The types, magnitude, features, and prevalence of compensation and payment structures related to a prescription drug's price among entities such as pharmacy benefit managers, Part D plan sponsors, drug wholesalers, pharmacies, manufacturers, and others.
• The primary business models and compensation structures for each category of intermediary.
• Variations in price-related compensation structures between affiliated and unaffiliated entities.
• Potential conflicts of interest related to prescription drug price-related compensation structures.
• Patterns and trends in price-based compensation structures over time and between different market segments.
• Factors driving the consideration and use of price-related compensation structures.
• Any other relevant issues.

The Comptroller General must submit a report to Congress within two years of the bill's enactment, including recommendations for legislation and administrative action.