S.Amdt. 3781

SA 3781. Mr. CARDIN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by
him to the bill H.R. 6157, making appropriations for the Department of
Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2019, and for other
purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

At the appropriate place in title II of division B, insert
the following:

SEC. __. HHS STUDY ON DRUG PRICING.

(a) Study.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services (in
this section referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall conduct
a study on the changes in prices of prescription drugs since
2008. Such study shall include the following:
(1) A comparison of prescription drug prices (net of
rebates) paid by the following programs for the 10 most
frequently prescribed drugs and the 10 highest-cost drugs for
each of the following:
(A) The Medicare program under part B of title XVIII of the
Social Security Act.
(B) The Medicare prescription drug program under part D of
title XVIII of such Act.
(C) The Medicaid program under title XIX of such Act.
(D) The Department of Veterans Affairs.
(2) A breakdown of the comparative prices (net of rebates)
for each of the 10 most frequently prescribed drugs and the
10 highest-cost drugs between ambulatory settings and retail
settings.
(3) Under the Medicare prescription drug program under such
part D, a description of the gross drug costs and net drug
costs and the direct and indirect remuneration for the 10
most frequently prescribed drugs and the 10 highest-cost
drugs.
(4) A description of the total annual costs due to
prescription drugs under the Medicare program under such part
B, such part D, and the Medicaid program.
(5) A list the drugs that have been registered for sale by
the Food and Drug Administration in the past 5 years that
have benefited significantly from government grants or
research subsidies in either the pre-clinical or clinical
stages of development, as well as the price (net of rebates)
and total spending under the Medicare and Medicaid programs
for each of those drugs.
(6) Other items determined appropriate by the Secretary.
(b) Report.--Not later than 120 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress
a report on

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the study conducted under subsection (a), together with
recommendations for such legislation and administrative
action as the Secretary determines appropriate.
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