Fair Pharmacies for Federal Employees Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8]
Introduced
Summary
Would bar Federal employee health plans from contracting with carriers or PBMs that own, operate, or control pharmacies. It targets ownership and contracting links between qualified carriers, pharmacies, and pharmacy benefit managers to separate plan management from pharmacy ownership.
Show full summary
- Federal employees and families would see Federal Employee Health Benefit plan options limited to carriers that are not owned by or tied to pharmacies or PBMs.
- Qualified carriers would be ineligible for OPM contracts if they directly or indirectly own, operate, control, or are owned by a pharmacy or a PBM.
- Pharmacy benefit managers could not be contracted or subcontracted by OPM or a qualified carrier if they directly or indirectly own, operate, control, or direct the operation of a pharmacy.
- The bill sets definitions for key terms like “pharmacy” and “pharmacy benefit manager” and includes a rule preserving enforcement authority for the Federal Trade Commission, the Department of Justice Inspector General, the Department of Health and Human Services, and state attorneys general.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.
Federal employee plans limit PBM-pharmacy ties
This bill would limit who OPM can hire for federal employee health plans. OPM would not be allowed to contract with a carrier that owns, runs, or controls any part of a pharmacy. OPM could also not hire a carrier that owns, runs, or controls a pharmacy benefit manager, or is owned or directed by one. OPM or any carrier would also be barred from using a pharmacy benefit manager that owns or controls any part of a pharmacy. The ban would apply to both direct and indirect ownership or control.
Keeps other watchdog powers in place
If enacted, nothing in this bill would limit other enforcement powers. The Federal Trade Commission, the Justice Department’s Inspector General, the Department of Health and Human Services, and state attorneys general would still be able to use other laws. They would keep their current tools.
Who counts as pharmacies and PBMs
If enacted, the bill would define which pharmacies are covered, including mail-order, specialty, retail, nursing home, long-term care, hospital, infusion, and any group with a pharmacy NPI code. It would define pharmacy benefit managers to include companies that negotiate drug prices or rebates, run pharmacy networks, or manage drug benefits, claims, and prior authorizations. It would define “qualified carriers” as nongovernment groups that offer or pay for group health plans in exchange for premiums. These definitions would decide who must follow the new contracting bans.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8]
IL • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Harshbarger, Diana [R-TN-1]
TN • R
Sponsored 7/15/2025
Rep. Schneider, Bradley Scott [D-IL-10]
IL • D
Sponsored 7/23/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov