Allowing Greater Access to Safe and Effective Contraception Act

Bill: 115-s-93
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Ernst, Joni [R-IA]
Introduced: 2017-01-10
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Drug safety, medical device, and laboratory regulation

Employee benefits and pensions

Family planning and birth control

Health care costs and insurance

Prescription drugs

User charges and fees
Latest action: action_date: 2017-01-10
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Summaries:
action_date: 2017-01-10
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>Allowing Greater Access to Safe and Effective Contraception Act</b></p> <p>This bill requires the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to prioritize review of supplemental drug applications (applications to modify the approved use of a drug) for contraceptive drugs intended for routine use that would be available to individuals aged 18 and older without a prescription. The FDA must waive user fees for such supplemental drug applications. Any drug that is eligible for this priority review must be a prescription drug for individuals under age 18.</p> This bill repeals provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 to allow health savings accounts and health flexible spending accounts (HFSAs) to be used to pay for medicine without a prescription and to remove the limit on salary reduction contributions to a HFSA under a cafeteria plan, effective as if the provisions had never been enacted.

tv_txt: II 115th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 93 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES January 10, 2017 Mrs. Ernst (for herself, Mr. Gardner , and Mr. Heller ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance A BILL To allow women greater access to safe and effective contraception.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Allowing Greater Access to Safe and Effective Contraception Act . 2. Applications for non-prescription contraceptive drugs (a) Priority review of application The Secretary of Health and Human Services (referred to in this section as the Secretary ) shall give priority review to any supplemental application submitted under section 505(b) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act ( 21 U.S.C. 355(b) ) for a contraceptive drug, provided that— (1) the supplemental application is with respect to a drug intended for routine use; and (2) if the supplemental application is approved, with respect to individuals aged 18 and older, such drug would not be subject to section 503(b)(1) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act ( 21 U.S.C. 353(b)(1) ). (b) Fee waiver The Secretary shall waive the fee under section 736(a)(1) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act ( 21 U.S.C. 379h(a)(1) ) with respect to a supplemental application that receives priority review under subsection (a). (c) Over-the-Counter availability Notwithstanding any other provision of law, with respect to individuals under age 18, a contraceptive drug that is eligible for priority review under subsection (a) shall be subject to section 503(b)(1) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act ( 21 U.S.C. 353(b)(1) ). 3. Empowering women to make their own health decisions (a) No limitations based on whether a drug is prescribed Section 9003 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act ( Public Law 111–148 ), and the amendments made by such section, are repealed, and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 shall be applied as if such section, and amendments, had never been enacted. (b) No limitations on health FSAs Sections 9005 and 10902 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act ( Public Law 111–148 ) and section 1403 of the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 ( Public Law 111–152 ), and the amendments made by such sections, are repealed, and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 shall be applied as if such sections, and amendments, had never been enacted.