# 2026-19535: Medicare Part D Eyes Fairer Pharmacy Contracting Standards by 2029

2026-19535, Request for Information; Medicare Part D Reasonable and Relevant Pharmacy Contracting Standards, is a Federal Register proposed rule from Health and Human Services Department, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services published 2026-09-24, effective To be assured consideration, comments must be received at one of the addresses provided below, by November 23, 2026.; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-01).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-19535
- As of: 2026-10-01
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Document number: 2026-19535
- Title: Request for Information; Medicare Part D Reasonable and Relevant Pharmacy Contracting Standards
- Type: Proposed Rule
- Agencies: Health and Human Services Department; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
- Citation: 91 FR 60568
- Published: 2026-09-24
- Effective: To be assured consideration, comments must be received at one of the addresses provided below, by November 23, 2026.
- Comments close: 2026-11-23
- Significant: no
- Touches household money: yes
- Regulation identifier numbers: 0938-AW08
- Last updated: 2026-10-01

## In one line

Medicare Part D Eyes Fairer Pharmacy Contracting Standards by 2029

## Summary

Medicare Part D is asking for ideas on fair and clear rules for pharmacy contracts starting in 2029. This means pharmacies that meet these new standards can join Medicare’s network, helping more people get their prescriptions easily. If you have thoughts, speak up by November 23, 2026, so your voice shapes the future of pharmacy deals and patient care!

## Abstract

This request for information (RFI) solicits input from interested parties for purposes of establishing standards for reasonable and relevant pharmacy contract terms and conditions under the Medicare prescription drug benefit. Section 6223(a) of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 (CAA, 2026) amends section 1860D- 4(b)(1)(A) of the Social Security Act (the Act) to require Part D plan sponsors to permit any pharmacy that meets standard contract terms and conditions under the plan to participate as a network pharmacy of the plan. Section 6223(a) of the CAA, 2026 further requires that, notwithstanding any other provision of law, for plan years beginning January 1, 2029, such standard contract terms and conditions offered by Part D plan sponsors must be reasonable and relevant according to standards established by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. Finally, section 6223(a) of the CAA, 2026 requires the Secretary to issue this RFI for purposes of establishing such standards.

## Effects PRIA read

- Pharmacies Must Be Allowed In If They Meet Standards: benefit, medium. For Medicare Part D plans, any pharmacy that meets the plan's standard contract terms and conditions must be allowed to join the plan's network starting for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2029. The Secretary of HHS must set standards for what ‘‘reasonable and relevant’’ terms mean no l…
- CMS Seeks Input on Reimbursement, Audits, and More: benefit, low. CMS is requesting public input to help set the standards and is asking for information on topics such as pharmacy reimbursement and dispensing fees, MAC pricing and benchmarks, use of aggregate guarantees, 340B-related contract terms, specialty pharmacy designations, audits and recoupments, quality…

## Related documents

- [2026-20281](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-20281): Global Benchmark for Efficient Drug Pricing (GLOBE) Model, 2026-10-02
- [2026-20131](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-20131): Medicare Program; Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Prospective Payment System for Federal Fiscal Year 2027 and Updates to the IRF Quality…, 2026-10-01
- [2026-19959](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-19959): Medicare Program; Prospective Payment System and Consolidated Billing for Skilled Nursing Facilities; Updates to the Quality Reporting Prog…, 2026-09-30
- [2026-20067](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-20067): Medicare Program; FY 2027 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Program Requirements; Correction, 2026-09-30
- [2026-19946](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-19946): Medicare Program; Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals (IPPS) and the Long-Term Care Hospital Prospectiv…, 2026-09-29
- [2026-15686](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-15686): Medicare Program; FY 2027 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Program Requirements, 2026-08-03

## Sources
- [2026-19535 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/09/24/2026-19535/request-for-information-medicare-part-d-reasonable-and-relevant-pharmacy-contracting-standards)
- [2026-19535 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-09-24/pdf/2026-19535.pdf)

## Related
- [Previous: 2026-19532, Amendments To Import Requirements for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-19532)
- [Next: 2026-19546, Small Business Size Standards](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-19546)
- [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-19535 (as of 2026-10-01).