H.R. 6610, The Pharmacists Fight Back Act, has cleared an important hurdle in Congress. Now independent pharmacy needs to build the support necessary to move it through the full House.
The legislation would establish new requirements for pharmacy benefit managers operating within the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, including provisions requiring fair pharmacy reimbursement, applying manufacturer rebates to reduce beneficiaries’ prescription drug costs, and prohibiting PBMs from steering patients toward affiliated pharmacies.
In July, the House Oversight Committee advanced H.R. 6610 by an astounding bipartisan vote of 40–2.
Why the 40–2 Vote Matters
Getting a bill through committee is no small accomplishment. The vast majority of bills introduced in Congress never make it this far.
Committees play a critical role in determining which legislation moves forward. By reporting H.R. 6610 favorably, the Oversight Committee moved the bill out of committee and made it eligible for consideration by the full House.
And H.R. 6610 did not simply make it through committee. The massive margin in favor of the bill demonstrated overwhelming bipartisan support for moving the legislation forward.
But clearing committee does not guarantee a vote on the House floor. House leadership determines which bills are brought forward for consideration, and building a larger list of cosponsors is one of the clearest ways to show that support for H.R. 6610 extends beyond the Oversight Committee.
Ask Your Representative to Cosponsor H.R. 6610
Members of Congress are home in their districts before returning to Washington on Aug. 31. This is a good opportunity to make sure your representative hears directly from the people they represent.
APCI has made the process simple. Click the button below to visit our campaign action center. Enter your information, and if your representative has not yet cosponsored H.R. 6610, you’ll be connected with their district office and given a short call script to help you make the ask.
The more cosponsors H.R. 6610 has, the stronger the case for bringing the Pharmacists Fight Back Act to the House floor.
If your representative is already a cosponsor, you’ll receive a message letting you know that no action is needed at this time.
Want to know more about H.R. 6610? Read our earlier coverage of the Pharmacists Fight Back Act and the House Oversight Committee’s 40–2 vote.