Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 117.djvu/2193

 117 STAT. 2174

PUBLIC LAW 108–173—DEC. 8, 2003 (E) The effectiveness of reviews and other actions conducted by such organizations in carrying out those duties. (F) The source and amount of funding for such organizations. (G) The conduct of oversight of such organizations. (2) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than June 1, 2006, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the results of the study described in paragraph (1), including any recommendations for legislation. (3) INCREASED COMPETITION.—If the Secretary finds based on the study conducted under paragraph (1) that other entities could improve quality in the medicare program as well as, or better than, the current quality improvement organizations, then the Secretary shall provide for such increased competition through the addition of new types of entities which may perform quality improvement functions.

Deadline.

42 USC 1395w–101 note.

Deadline.

42 USC 1395w–132 note.

SEC. 110. CONFLICT OF INTEREST STUDY.

(a) STUDY.—The Federal Trade Commission shall conduct a study of differences in payment amounts for pharmacy services provided to enrollees in group health plans that utilize pharmacy benefit managers. Such study shall include the following: (1) An assessment of the differences in costs incurred by such enrollees and plans for prescription drugs dispensed by mail-order pharmacies owned by pharmaceutical benefit managers compared to mail-order pharmacies not owned by pharmaceutical benefit managers, and community pharmacies. (2) Whether such plans are acting in a manner that maximizes competition and results in lower prescription drug prices for enrollees. (b) REPORT.—Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall submit to Congress a report on the study conducted under subsection (a). Such report shall include recommendations regarding any need for legislation to ensure the fiscal integrity of the voluntary prescription drug benefit program under part D of title XVIII, as added by section 101, that may be appropriated as the result of such study. (c) EXEMPTION FROM PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT.—Chapter 35 of title 44, United States Code, shall not apply to the collection of information under subsection (a). SEC. 111. STUDY ON EMPLOYMENT-BASED RETIREE HEALTH COVERAGE.

(a) STUDY.—The Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct an initial and final study under this subsection to examine trends in employment-based retiree health coverage (as defined in 1860D–22(c)(1) of the Social Security Act, as added by section 101), including coverage under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP), and the options and incentives available under this Act which may have an effect on the voluntary provision of such coverage. (b) CONTENT OF INITIAL STUDY.—The initial study under this section shall consider the following: (1) Trends in employment-based retiree health coverage prior to the date of the enactment of this Act. (2) The opinions of sponsors of employment-based retiree health coverage concerning which of the options available under this Act they are most likely to utilize for the provision of

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