Bipartisan Bill Cosponsored by Senator Hassan to Prohibit “Pharmacy Gag Clauses” That Cause Consumers to Pay Higher Prices for Prescription Drugs Signed into Law

WASHINGTON – President Trump signed into law today bipartisan legislation cosponsored by Senator Maggie Hassan to prohibit “pharmacy gag clauses” that cause consumers to pay higher prices for prescription drugs.

The bipartisan Patient Right to Know Drug Prices Act will prohibit health insurers and pharmacy benefit managers from using pharmacy gag clauses. These clauses forbid pharmacists from proactively telling consumers if their prescription would cost less if they paid out-of-pocket rather than using their insurance plan, and pharmacists who disobey these clauses can face significant penalties.

“No Granite Stater or American should be taken advantage of when they go to the pharmacy to purchase potentially life-saving medications,” Senator Hassan said. “This bill will help address that, helping to ensure that patients have the information they need to purchase the most affordable options for their prescriptions. I’m encouraged that this commonsense, bipartisan bill was signed into law, but our work to address the skyrocketing cost of prescription drugs and to hold big pharma accountable is far from over.”

Senator Hassan has long fought to take on big pharma and lower the price of prescription drugs for hard-working Granite Staters and Americans. Recently, the Senator joined colleagues in introducing the Affordable Medications Act, which will help hold pharmaceutical companies accountable for outrageously high prices and bring down costs for both consumers and taxpayers by allowing Medicare to negotiate the price of prescription drugs, permitting the safe importation of affordable prescription drugs from places like Canada, ending the senseless tax breaks for drug companies that allow them to take tax deductions on the billions of dollars they spend on advertising, and more.

###