HR 4419 · 105th Congress · Health

Prescription Guarantee Act of 1998

Introduced 1998-08-06· Sponsored by Rep. Klink, Ron [D-PA-4]· House

Bill Progress

Introduced
2
Committee
3
House Vote
4
Senate
5
Enacted
Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Employer-Employee Relations.(1998-09-21)

Plain Language Summary

[AI summary unavailable — showing source text] Prescription Guarantee Act of 1998 - Amends the Public Health Service Act and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 to require a group health plan, or a health insurance issuer offering coverage in connection with a group plan, if it covers prescription drugs but limits benefits to (or provides more favorable benefits for) drugs in a formulary, to: (1) make available to the public on request a description of the formulary restrictions; and (2) provide for restriction exceptions when the plan or beneficiary's physician, subject to reasonable plan or issuer review, determines that a non-formulary alternative is medically beneficial based on a therapeutic difference to the patient involved. Allows copayment doubling for nonformulary drugs. Prohibits a plan that provides prescription drug coverage from denying coverage of a drug if the use is included in the labeling authorized under specified provisions of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Prohibits a plan or issuer from discriminating against a health professional based on the extent, type, or pattern of prescription drugs. Prohibits a plan or issuer from excluding a pharmacist from its network if the pharmacist…

Summarized by Claude AI · Non-partisan · For informational purposes only