President Donald Trump is to sign two bills into law today that will block insurers from enforcing “gag clauses” that forbid pharmacies from telling customers about how they can pay less for drugs. The West Virginia Pharmacists Association sought the legislation in cooperation with the National Community Pharmacists Association.
The Patient Right to Know Drug Prices Act and the Know the Lowest Price Act are intended to help patients find out whether a prescription would cost less if they were to pay for it out of pocket rather than through their health plan.
The first measure applies to people who are covered by private health insurance, and will go into effect immediately.
The second to patient who are covered by Medicare, and will go into effect beginning January 1, 2020.
The President had called for the bills to be passed as part of his administration’s larger commitment to reduce prescription drug costs for patients, and the measures advanced easily out of Congress.
