Bill > HR8988

This bill, the Electronic Prescribing for Controlled Substances Act (EPCS 2.0 Act), amends the Public Health Service Act, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) of 1974, and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to require group health plans and group and individual health insurance coverage to have policies in place that mandate the electronic transmission of prescriptions for Schedule II-V controlled substances, consistent with the standards established under the Social Security Act. The bill includes exceptions for certain circumstances, such as temporary technological failures or non-patient-specific prescriptions, and prohibits plans from imposing certain requirements on dispensers of controlled substances. The Secretaries of Health and Human Services, the Treasury, and Labor are required to jointly promulgate regulations and consult with stakeholders in implementing these new requirements, which are set to take effect for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2024.