Patients Choice in Specialty Pharmacy Act
Protects patients’ choice of specialty pharmacy and generally requires covered plans and insurers to include qualified pharmacies in their networks.
In the House Energy and Commerce Committee since Sept. 24, 2026, 11 days after it was introduced. Most bills never leave committee.
- INTRODUCEDINTROSEP 24, 2026
- COMMITTEECOMM.IN COMMITTEE
- HOUSEHOUSE—
- SENATESENATE—
- LAWLAW—
What the bill would do, and why it matters
Specialty drugs can require more than an ordinary prescription, including special handling or patient support. The bill would limit how most health plans and insurers steer patients to affiliated specialty pharmacies and would generally require them to admit qualified pharmacies to their networks. Self-insured group plans would be excluded.
- INTRODUCED ONLY This bill has been introduced and possibly referred to a committee, but it has not passed any vote. Most introduced bills never become law — they die in committee without a hearing.
- DATA NOTE No Congressional Research Service summary was available.
- Stops steering patients to affiliated pharmacies
Most group health plans and health insurers could not push enrollees to use a specialty pharmacy affiliated with the plan, insurer, or its pharmacy benefit manager. They could not do so through higher cost sharing, conditional discounts, penalties, delays, or other administrative burdens.
- Opens networks to qualified specialty pharmacies
Plans and insurers generally could not exclude a specialty pharmacy that is licensed and in good standing, accepts the network’s uniformly applied terms and the same reimbursement rates as other specialty pharmacies, and meets any accreditation requirement the plan or insurer chooses to impose. Exceptions would apply for specified fraud or abuse findings, exclusion from certain government health programs, or a demonstrated imminent risk of patient harm.
- Defines specialty pharmacies and covered plans
The bill defines a specialty pharmacy by the drugs it dispenses and its ability to provide related clinical and patient support. The rules would cover group plans other than self-insured plans, as well as issuers of group or individual health insurance.
Specialty drugs can require handling, storage, administration, or monitoring beyond what most retail prescriptions need, and the bill’s definition also covers drugs for complex, expensive, or rare conditions. The proposal would affect how patients access these drugs and how plans and insurers shape their pharmacy networks.
Written from the bill text.
The path it took, step by step
- IntroducedSEP 24, 2026HOUSESEP 24, 2026By Rep. Dunn with 1 original cosponsorReferred to Energy and Commerce
- SAME DAYNOWHouse committeeSEP 24, 2026ENERGY & COMMERCE NOWSEP 24, 2026In committee for 11 daysNo hearing yet
- 11 DAYS SO FARPassed the House—HOUSE FLOOR—Not scheduled
- Senate committee—SENATE—
- Passed the Senate—SENATE FLOOR—Not scheduled
- Resolve differencesONLY IF NEEDEDBOTH CHAMBERSONLY IF NEEDEDSkipped if the other chamber passes the same text
- Signed into law—PRESIDENT—10 days to sign or veto
- SEP 242026SEP 24, 2026REFERREDHOUSEReferred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- SEP 242026SEP 24, 2026INTRODUCEDHOUSEIntroduced in House
At day 11, this bill is already older than 3% of the laws passed this Congress were when they were signed.
Where your members stand on it
Support from one state
Plus the sponsor, a Republican. Every cosponsor is from one party.
Plus the sponsor, a Republican. Every cosponsor is from one party.
Rep. Dunn’s record: sponsored 28 bills this Congress. 1 passed the House; 0 became law.
- Joe WilsonR-SC-2ORIGINAL
What readers think
Discussion
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