US Congress House Bill 1839 (Prior Session Legislation)

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Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: Introduced on May 11 2011 - 25% progression, died in committee
Action: 2011-08-25 - Referred to the Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, Competition and the Internet.
Pending: House Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, Competition and the Internet Committee
Text: Latest bill text (Introduced) [PDF]

Community Pharmacy Fairness Act of 2011 - Entitles independent pharmacies negotiating contract terms with a health plan for the provision of health care items or services to the same treatment under the antitrust laws as the treatment to which bargaining units recognized under the National Labor Relations Act are entitled. Treats such a pharmacy as an employee engaged in concerted activities in connection with such negotiations. Exempts actions taken in good faith reliance on this Act from being subject to criminal sanctions or civil penalties beyond actual damages incurred. Provides that this Act does not exempt from application of antitrust laws any agreement or unlawful conspiracy that: (1) would have the effect of boycotting any independent pharmacy; (2) would exclude, limit the participation or reimbursement of, or otherwise limit the scope of services to be provided by any independent pharmacy or group of independent pharmacies with respect to the performance of services that are within their scope of practice as defined or permitted by relevant law or regulation; (3) allocates a market among competitors; (4) unlawfully ties the sale or purchase of one product or service to the sale or purchase of another product or service; or (5) monopolizes or attempts to monopolize a market. Provides that this Act shall not apply to negotiations between pharmacies and health plans regarding benefits provided under specified federal programs, including Medicaid, veterans' medical care, and the federal employees' health benefits program. Requires the Comptroller General to study the impact of this Act after five years.Provides that this Act does not preclude the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) or the Department of Justice (DOJ) from overseeing the conduct of independent pharmacies covered under this Act.

Community Pharmacy Fairness Act of 2011

Rep. Anthony Weiner [D-NY]	Rep. Robert Aderholt [R-AL]	Rep. Spencer Bachus [R-AL]	Sen. Tammy Baldwin [D-WI]
Rep. Lou Barletta [R-PA]	Rep. Judy Chu [D-CA]	Rep. Howard Coble [R-NC]	Rep. Lloyd Doggett [D-TX]
Rep. Ruben Hinojosa [D-TX]	Rep. Walter Jones [R-NC]	Rep. Jerrold Nadler [D-NY]	Rep. William Owens [D-NY]
Rep. Ron Paul [R-TX]	Rep. Mike Ross [D-AR]	Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard [D-CA]	Sen. Peter Welch [D-VT]
Rep. Robert Wittman [R-VA]

Date	Chamber	Action
2011-08-25	House	Referred to the Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, Competition and the Internet.
2011-05-11	House	Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

HB1946 (Related) 2012-03-29 - Subcommittee Hearings Held.

Type	Source
Summary	https://www.congress.gov/bill/112th-congress/house-bill/1839/all-info
Text	https://www.congress.gov/112/bills/hr1839/BILLS-112hr1839ih.pdf