Contact Congress about S. 927: Protecting Pharmacies in Medicaid Act

Medicaid drug payments would have to more closely match what pharmacies actually pay for drugs. The bill also blocks PBM spread pricing and forces more payment details into the open. Pharmacies that do not answer federal cost surveys could face large fines.

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Protecting Pharmacies in Medicaid Act is a Senate bill in committee. The latest recorded action: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Latest action on S. 927: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Who this affects: This bill mainly affects pharmacies first, especially retail pharmacies, non-retail pharmacies covered by the bill, and smaller drugstores that depend on Medicaid payments. It also directly affects PBMs, Medicaid managed care plans, and state Medicaid programs because they would have to change drug payment contracts and share more data. Safety-net providers using the 340B drug discount program could also be affected by the special payment and reporting rules for those drugs. Medicaid patients could feel the effects indirectly if these changes affect pharmacy participation, payment levels, or drug benefit design.

Why this matters: This bill matters because Medicaid drug payments can be hard to track, and middlemen can keep money through pricing methods that are not easy to see. It would push payments closer to what pharmacies actually pay for drugs and make more of the money flow visible. That could help some pharmacies that believe current payments are too low. It could also force states, PBMs, and managed care plans to rebuild contracts and change how they manage drug benefits. The final effect on total costs, pharmacy access, and patient choices is still uncertain.

Key provisions in S. 927

• HHS would have to run monthly national surveys on what retail pharmacies and certain non-retail pharmacies actually pay for drugs. Medicaid would use that information as a benchmark when setting payment rates.
• Any pharmacy that gets Medicaid-related payments, fees, discounts, or rebates would have to answer these surveys. HHS would also publish response rates and name pharmacies that do not comply.
• Pharmacies could face civil fines of up to $100,000 for each violation. That applies if they refuse to respond, give false information, or otherwise break the survey rules.
• HHS would have to publish national drug price data and some information about discounts, rebates, and other price breaks. It still could not release protected trade-secret information beyond the bill's limits.
• States could not use cost data from non-retail pharmacies to set payment methods for retail community pharmacies. Retail pharmacy payment rules would have to rely on retail data instead.

How Modern Action helps you take action on S. 927

You do not have to start with a blank letter. Modern Action turns the bill, your position, and the relevant congressional context into a message you can edit and send. The goal is to make contacting Congress clear, specific, and useful without forcing you to parse bill text or figure out the right office on your own.

Questions people ask about S. 927

What is S. 927?

Medicaid drug payments would have to more closely match what pharmacies actually pay for drugs. The bill also blocks PBM spread pricing and forces more payment details into the open. Pharmacies that do not answer federal cost surveys could face large fines.

How do I support or oppose S. 927?

Choose support, oppose, or ask for changes on Modern Action. The action flow drafts the message for you and keeps the wording tied to this bill.

Who should I contact about S. 927?

Modern Action uses your location to route the action to the congressional offices relevant to the bill and your representation.

Can Modern Action explain S. 927 before I act?

Yes. Modern Action gives you a plain-English summary, current status, and action context before you send anything.