Bill
S 4106
Expands access to prescription medications for service members, veterans, and federal beneficiaries within DoD and TRICARE.
Rx ACCESS Act (S. 4106, 119th Congress) – Summary
Overview
- Bill title: Rx ACCESS Act
- Session: 119
- Jurisdiction: United States
- Introduction/status: Introduced in the Senate and referred to the Committee on Armed Services (as of the latest available actions). Star Print ordered indicates a formal drafting/printing step.
- Principal sponsors:
- Co-sponsors: Angus King, Tim Kaine, Shelley Moore Capito, Tom Cotton
- Purpose: While the exact text is unavailable due to an error retrieving the bill text, the title “Rx ACCESS Act” and committee assignment suggest a focus on access to prescription medications within the context of the Department of Defense, military health systems, or related federal programs. The co-sponsorship by members representing varied party affiliations and interests indicates a bipartisan approach to improving access to prescription medications for service members, veterans, or federal beneficiaries, and/or reforms to federal pharmaceutical purchasing, logistics, or formulary policies.
Key Provisions (inferred from title and typical scope)
- Access enhancements: Likely provisions to improve access to prescription medications for military personnel, veterans, retirees, and dependents, potentially addressing:
- Pharmacy access and network requirements for military treatment facilities and the TRICARE program.
- Reducing barriers to obtaining medications, including formulary changes or prior authorization simplifications.
- Expansion of mail-order or online prescription services to ensure timely delivery of medications.
- Cost and affordability measures: Possible provisions to control or reduce out-of-pocket costs for prescriptions within federal programs, or to enhance generic/favorable pricing incentives.
- Supply chain and procurement: Potential reforms to federal procurement or the management of pharmaceutical inventories, including specialty medications, to reduce shortages or delays.
- Oversight and reporting: Provisions for accountability, reporting requirements to Congress, or performance metrics related to prescription access and utilization within the relevant federal programs.
- Security and safety: Compliance with federal drug safety standards, but tailored to the unique environment of military health operations.
Who would be affected
- Service members, veterans, retirees, and dependents who rely on TRICARE or other federal health programs for prescription medications.
- Federal health care facilities, including military treatment facilities and Department of Defense health services.
- Pharmacists and pharmacy networks contracted under federal programs.
- Providers and prescribers serving military personnel and veterans, who may experience changes in formulary access, prior authorization, or prescribing pathways.
- Federal purchasers and administrators responsible for drug procurement and supply chain management.
Procedural and timeline aspects
- Introduction: March 17, 2026 (introduced in Senate).
- Referral: Referred to the Committee on Armed Services (as indicated in the legislative history snippet).
- Consideration steps: After committee action, the bill would need to pass the committee, then be reported to the Senate floor, potentially go through amendments, and be considered by the full Senate. If passed, it would move to the House (and vice versa if the companion House bill exists) for consideration.
- Star Print: Indicates formal printing and distribution of the bill text for review by members and committees.
- Status note: The full text is not available in the provided data due to an error retrieving the page. Readers should check the Senate.gov bill page or Congress.gov for the latest text, amendments, and fiscal impact discussions.
Impact considerations and questions to monitor
- Fiscal impact: What would be the cost to federal programs (e.g., TRICARE) and any potential savings from improved access or formulary reform?
- Access metrics: How would “access” be defined and measured (time-to-fill, out-of-pocket costs, formulary coverage, or prior authorization reduction)?
- Implementation timeline: If enacted, what is the expected timeline for implementing changes across military treatment facilities and pharmacy networks?
- Any alignment with veteran healthcare reforms or DoD budget priorities.
Note
- For a precise, section-by-section summary, the full bill text is required. If you can provide the actual text or a working link, I can produce a detailed provision-by-provision analysis (with subsections, effective dates, and any budgetary notes).
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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