[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2408 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2408

To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for patient-
     focused listening sessions to improve prescription drug plan 
                   transparency, access, and choice.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 20, 2023

Mr. Scott of South Carolina (for himself and Mr. Warner) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                                Finance

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for patient-
     focused listening sessions to improve prescription drug plan 
                   transparency, access, and choice.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Initiating Meaningful Patient Review 
Of Various Existing Part D Regulations Act'' or the ``IMPROVE Part D 
Regulations Act''.

SEC. 2. PATIENT-FOCUSED LISTENING SESSIONS TO IMPROVE PRESCRIPTION DRUG 
              PLAN TRANSPARENCY, ACCESS, AND CHOICE.

    Section 1860D-42 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w-152) 
is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(e) Patient-Focused Listening Sessions for Program 
Improvements.--
            ``(1) In general.--No later than December 31, 2024, the 
        Secretary shall convene at least one patient-focused listening 
        session on potential administrative improvements to this part, 
        as described in paragraph (2).
            ``(2) Patient-focused listening sessions.--Any patient-
        focused listening sessions convened under paragraph (1) shall 
        be open to the public and may include patients, beneficiaries, 
        caregivers, consumer and patient advocacy organizations, health 
        care providers, and other interested parties, as determined 
        appropriate by the Secretary. Such listening sessions may 
        include discussions of, and recommendations for program 
        improvements related to--
                    ``(A) prescription drug plan disclosures and 
                comparative information made available to 
                beneficiaries;
                    ``(B) tools and mechanisms to assist beneficiaries 
                in navigating plan complaint systems, as well as the 
                efficiency and effectiveness of such systems;
                    ``(C) tools and mechanisms to assist beneficiaries 
                in selecting a prescription drug plan;
                    ``(D) tools and mechanisms to assist beneficiaries 
                in navigating utilization management requirements, such 
                as step therapy and prior authorization;
                    ``(E) access to, and effectiveness and utilization 
                of, electronic real-time benefit tools (as described in 
                section 1860D-4(o)) and beneficiary real-time benefit 
                tools (as described in section 423.128(d)(4) of title 
                42, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor 
                regulation);
                    ``(F) formulary management and oversight; and
                    ``(G) other subjects relevant to patients and other 
                interested parties.
            ``(3) Program review.--Based on the recommendations 
        discussed during any patient-focused listening sessions 
        convened under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall conduct a 
        review of relevant regulatory and sub-regulatory requirements 
        under this part and shall consider, as appropriate, potential 
        regulatory or sub-regulatory changes to address issues raised 
        during such sessions.''.
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