A Republican bill with 2 Democratic cosponsors · See all 5 cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 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.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, known as the "PLASMA Act," proposes to amend the Social Security Act regarding the manufacturer discount program. It seeks to establish a phase-in period for plasma-derived products, which are biological products derived from human whole blood or plasma. The legislation sets specific percentages for the "discounted price" of these drugs starting in 2026. These percentages vary based on the year and whether a beneficiary has met certain out-of-pocket cost thresholds. The phase-in schedule continues through 2032 and subsequent years.
Yes· 3 of 5
- Scored +5
Would people over 65 be better off under this?
The bill provides drug discounts specifically for Medicare beneficiaries, many of whom are seniors.
- Scored +5
Would retired people be better off under this?
The bill provides drug cost relief for Medicare beneficiaries, benefiting retirees.
- Scored +5
Does this lower the price of prescription medicines?
The bill establishes a phase-in mechanism to provide discounts on plasma-derived products under the Medicare manufacturer discount program.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Phased-in Pricing for Plasma-Derived Products: The bill creates a specific "discounted price" structure for applicable drugs that are plasma-derived products marketed as of August 16, 2022 (Section 2). This provides a scheduled transition for how these products are priced under the manufacturer discount program.
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Tiered Percentages Based on Out-of-Pocket Costs: The bill provides different percentage structures for beneficiaries who have or have not incurred costs that meet the annual out-of-pocket threshold (Section 2, clause iii). This establishes a specific financial framework for these individuals during the phase-in period.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Decreasing Discount Percentages Over Time: For beneficiaries who have reached the annual out-of-pocket threshold, the "specified plasma-derived product percent" decreases over time, dropping from 99 percent in 2026 to 80 percent in 2032 and subsequent years (Section 2, clause iii).
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Exclusions from the Phase-in: The provisions of this act do not apply to certain drugs dispensed to LIS beneficiaries or to drugs from specified small manufacturers (Section 2, clause iv).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would retired people be better off under this? — The bill provides drug cost relief for Medicare beneficiaries, benefiting retirees. Would people over 65 be better off under this? — The bill provides drug discounts specifically for Medicare beneficiaries, many of whom are seniors. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill may assist low-income households through the Medicare LIS program, though the act specifically excludes certain LIS drugs from this phase-in.
- Healthcare
- Does this lower the price of prescription medicines? — The bill establishes a phase-in mechanism to provide discounts on plasma-derived products under the Medicare manufacturer discount program. Does this make health care easier to get in general? — By discounting plasma-derived products, the bill may improve access to these specialty medicines for Medicare beneficiaries.
- 6/3/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 5/5/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 2/21/2025
- Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 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.
- 3 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Donald DavisDemocrat · North Carolina
Brad KnottRepublican · North Carolina
Gregory MurphyRepublican · North Carolina
Scott PetersDemocrat · California
David RouzerRepublican · North Carolina