SMART Prices Act

Strengthening Medicare And Reducing Taxpayer Prices Act or the SMART Prices Act

This bill modifies requirements of the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program and makes other changes with respect to the prices of prescription drugs under Medicare.

Current law requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to negotiate maximum prices for brand-name drugs that do not have other generic equivalents and that account for the greatest Medicare spending. The CMS must negotiate the prices of 10 drugs that are covered under the Medicare prescription drug benefit in 2026, 15 drugs that are covered under the Medicare prescription drug benefit in 2027, 15 drugs that are covered under the Medicare prescription drug benefit or under Medicare medical services in 2028, and 20 drugs that are covered under the Medicare prescription drug benefit or under Medicare medical services in 2029 and each year thereafter.

The bill requires the CMS to negotiate the prices of 20 drugs under the Medicare prescription drug benefit in 2026 and 40 drugs under the Medicare prescription drug benefit or under Medicare medical services in 2027 and each year thereafter. It also (1) shortens the required period of market approval from 7 years and 11 years for drugs and biologics, respectively, to 3 years; and (2) modifies the ceiling for the maximum fair price for short-, extended-, and long-monopoly drugs.

The bill also repeals provisions that prohibit the CMS from interfering in negotiations between drug manufacturers, pharmacies, and PDP sponsors (i.e., noninterference clause).

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov