PLASMA Act

This bill changes how Medicare Part D applies required manufacturer discounts to certain medicines made from human blood or plasma. Instead of jumping to the full discount right away, it slowly increases the discount over several years. For these plasma-derived products, the discount starts at 1% in 2026 and rises until it reaches the usual 10% in the initial coverage phase by 2030, and the usual 20% in the catastrophic phase by 2032. The bill defines plasma-derived products as biological medicines made from human whole blood or plasma.

Key points:

• Who is affected: People with Medicare Part D who use plasma-derived medicines, and the companies that make those medicines.
• What changes: The required manufacturer discount is phased in over time for these products, rather than applied at the full amount right away.
• When: The phase-in starts in 2026, reaching 10% in the initial phase by 2030 and 20% in the catastrophic phase by 2032.

The bill’s text also spells out the year-by-year steps to get to those final discount levels and clarifies which products qualify as plasma-derived.