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PLASMA Act
3/21/2025, 2:06 PM
Summary of Bill HR 1476
Currently, plasma-derived products are not included in the manufacturer discount program, which provides discounts to certain drugs for Medicare beneficiaries. This bill seeks to change that by gradually phasing in plasma-derived products into the program.
The bill outlines a specific timeline for this phase-in process, ensuring that manufacturers of plasma-derived products have time to adjust to the new requirements. This gradual implementation is intended to prevent any disruptions in the availability of these important medical products for Medicare beneficiaries. Overall, the Plasma-Derived Products Manufacturer Discount Program Phase-In Act aims to improve access to plasma-derived products for Medicare beneficiaries while also ensuring that manufacturers have the necessary time to comply with the new requirements.
Congressional Summary of HR 1476
Preserving Life-saving Access to Specialty Medicines in America Act or the PLASMA Act
This bill phases-in certain price adjustments for plasma-derived products under the Medicare prescription drug benefit's Manufacturer Discount Program.
Current law requires manufacturers of covered drugs under the Medicare prescription drug benefit to provide a 10% discount for covered drugs during the initial coverage phase (i.e., before a beneficiary reaches the out-of-pocket spending threshold) and a 20% discount during the catastrophic coverage phase (i.e., after a beneficiary reaches the out-of-pocket spending threshold).
The bill phases-in discounts for plasma-derived products over several years, starting with a 1% discount in 2026 for both the initial and catastrophic coverage phases, and ending with a 10% discount beginning in 2030 for the initial coverage phase and a 20% discount beginning in 2032 for the catastrophic coverage phase.
