Community Health Center Drug Pricing Protection Act

Key Points

• This bill, introduced by Mr. Bergman, changes how community health centers buy medicine. It requires drug companies to give these centers the discounted price immediately at the time they purchase the drugs.
• Currently, some drug companies make health centers pay the full price for medicine first and then send a refund check later. This system can tie up a health center's money for months, making it harder for them to pay for other needs like staff or equipment.
• The policy focuses on Federally-qualified health centers, which are local clinics that provide care to low-income families and people without insurance. By getting the discount upfront, these clinics can keep more cash on hand to serve their patients.
• If this becomes law, drug companies would be banned from using rebate or reimbursement programs to avoid giving the discount at the cash register. The rules would apply to all outpatient drugs bought by these centers starting on the day the bill is signed.

Impact Analysis

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