(U.S. Air Force Photo: Kara Carrier)

New legislation in Congress would expand lower prescription drug pricing for millions of Service Members, Veterans, and military families covered through TRICARE and the VA.

The bill, called the MISSION Rx Act, was introduced by Reps. Pat Ryan (D-N.Y.) and Eugene Vindman (D-Va.). Ryan and Vindman both served in the U.S. Army and now sit on the House Armed Services Committee.

The proposal would require TRICARE and the VA to use the lowest available federal price for certain prescription drugs. Then TRICARE and VA patients would be charged the lower of two prices: the CMS-negotiated drug price or the rate already available through their current coverage.

At its core, the bill would make sure Veterans, Service Members, and Military Families receive the same lower prescription drug prices already negotiated by the federal government.

Medicare beneficiaries have started receiving lower prices on certain medications through drug price negotiations created under the Inflation Reduction Act. However, those negotiated prices do not automatically apply to other federal health programs. The MISSION Rx Act would apply those lower negotiated prices to TRICARE and VA beneficiaries.

Supporters say the bill could reduce out-of-pocket costs for Military Families while also lowering federal spending on prescription drugs. CMS estimates that applying the lower-price policy to TRICARE and VA prescriptions could save taxpayers as much as $6 billion a year as more drugs become eligible for negotiated pricing.

Ryan said military families should not be paying more than other Americans for the same medication. Vindman stated that Service Members, Veterans, and their families have earned benefits that should protect them from the rising cost of needed prescriptions.

The bill has support from several Veterans and military-connected organizations, including the The American Legion, VFW, the Marine Corps League, the Fleet Reserve Association, the Air Force Sergeants Association, and the Commissioned Officers Association of the U.S. Public Health Service.

Those groups have framed the legislation as a matter of fairness and access. Prescription medication can be a recurring cost for many Veterans and families, especially those managing long-term health conditions or chronic care needs.

The bill’s future in Congress is uncertain. Republicans currently hold a narrow House majority, and the proposal was introduced by Democratic lawmakers during a period of pointed tension. Still, the legislation places prescription drug affordability directly into the larger conversation about military quality of life, Veterans’ benefits, and federal health care costs.

Author: Rikki Almanza

Rikki is a Web Content Coordinator for the American Legion, Department of California. With a deep-rooted family connection to the military, Rikki is committed to using her skills and knowledge to provide valuable assistance and resources to servicemembers and veterans.