Alternatives to PAIN Act
Sponsored By: Senator Thomas Tillis
Introduced
Summary
Expand access to non‑opioid pain drugs in Medicare Part D. The bill would remove deductibles, force these drugs onto the lowest cost‑sharing tier, and ban prior authorization and step therapy for qualifying drugs.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Medicare drug access for non-opioids
If enacted, the bill would change Medicare Part D rules for certain non-opioid pain drugs. For plan years starting January 1, 2026, the Part D deductible would not apply to qualifying drugs. Qualifying drugs would be put on a plan's lowest cost-sharing tier when the plan has tiers. Plans could not require you to try an opioid first (step therapy) or make you get prior authorization. A qualifying drug must be labeled for acute or postoperative pain and must not act on opioid receptors. It must have no U.S. therapeutic equivalent and meet a monthly cost cap set by HHS.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Thomas Tillis
NC • R
Cosponsors
Mark Kelly
AZ • D
Sponsored 2/6/2025
Shelley Capito
WV • R
Sponsored 2/6/2025
Timothy Kaine
VA • D
Sponsored 2/6/2025
Katie Britt
AL • R
Sponsored 2/6/2025
Jeanne Shaheen
NH • D
Sponsored 2/6/2025
Ted Budd
NC • R
Sponsored 2/6/2025
Christopher Coons
DE • D
Sponsored 2/6/2025
John Cornyn
TX • R
Sponsored 2/6/2025
Cory Booker
NJ • D
Sponsored 2/6/2025
Jerry Moran
KS • R
Sponsored 2/6/2025
Michael Bennet
CO • D
Sponsored 2/6/2025
Jim Banks
IN • R
Sponsored 2/6/2025
Alex Padilla
CA • D
Sponsored 2/6/2025
Steve Daines
MT • R
Sponsored 2/6/2025
Mark Warner
VA • D
Sponsored 2/6/2025
Cindy Hyde-Smith
MS • R
Sponsored 2/6/2025
John Boozman
AR • R
Sponsored 2/20/2025
Raphael Warnock
GA • D
Sponsored 2/20/2025
James Justice
WV • R
Sponsored 3/12/2025
Amy Klobuchar
MN • D
Sponsored 3/12/2025
John Kennedy
LA • R
Sponsored 4/9/2025
Catherine Cortez Masto
NV • D
Sponsored 4/9/2025
Marsha Blackburn
TN • R
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Ruben Gallego
AZ • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Angus King
ME • I
Sponsored 6/10/2025
Jon Ossoff
GA • D
Sponsored 6/10/2025
Jeff Merkley
OR • D
Sponsored 10/7/2025
Tim Sheehy
MT • R
Sponsored 10/7/2025
Deb Fischer
NE • R
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Adam Schiff
CA • D
Sponsored 12/1/2025
Richard Blumenthal
CT • D
Sponsored 2/3/2026
Jon Husted
OH • R
Sponsored 2/3/2026
Tammy Duckworth
IL • D
Sponsored 3/19/2026
Roger Marshall
KS • R
Sponsored 3/19/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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