Patient Right to Shop Act

HR 4712, the Patient Right to Shop Act, prohibits group health plans and health insurance issuers from including contract terms that block third-party tools helping patients compare prescription drug costs. The bill specifically targets contracts with pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), requiring that plans cannot restrict access to information needed for tools showing all patient costs - like copays, coinsurance, cash prices, or mail-order options. It directly affects patients (who gain clearer cost comparisons), health plans, insurers, and PBMs. The law does not create new tools but ensures existing cost-comparison tools can function by preventing contractual barriers, while clarifying it doesn’t override existing privacy rules like HIPAA.