CONGRESS FOR VOTERS

Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)

Safe Step Act

S. 2903 · Senate bill Health

A Republican bill with 38 Democratic cosponsors · See all 53 cosponsors

Last activity — Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Hearings held.

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

  1. Introduced
  2. In Committee

What this bill would do

This bill amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 to require group health plans and health insurance coverage to provide a clear and transparent exceptions process for medication step therapy protocols. It outlines specific clinical circumstances under which a patient or their doctor can request and be granted an exception to try a prescribed drug without first trying alternative preferred drugs. The legislation sets strict timelines for health plans to respond to these exception requests, ranging from standard reviews within 72 hours to expedited reviews within 24 hours for urgent health situations. Once an exception is granted, the coverage for the requested drug must remain in effect for at least one year. Additionally, plans are required to report annually on the number of exception requests they receive, approve, and deny, and the Secretary must submit these findings to Congress.

Yes· 3 of 23

  • Scored +8

    Does this make health care easier to get in general?

    Directly improves access to specific, medically necessary medications by streamlining the step therapy exception process.

  • Scored +7

    Would people with disabilities be better off under this?

    Specifically provides exceptions to maintain functional ability in daily living and work.

  • Scored +6

    Would union members be better off under this?

    Union members typically have robust employer-sponsored group health plans that are subject to these ERISA amendments.

The opposite· 3 of 4

  • Scored -2

    Would business owners be better off under this?

    Employers providing group health plans may face slightly higher administrative and drug costs.

  • Scored -2

    Does this protect people from being watched or searched?

    May require disclosure of sensitive health records as a condition for accessing necessary medication.

  • Scored -2

    Does this lower what people pay for private health insurance?

    Increased coverage of non-preferred drugs through exceptions may lead to higher costs for insurers, potentially affecting premiums.