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Safe Step Act

S. 652 Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) In committee
Bill text PDF
  1. Introduced Mar 2
  2. Committee Mar 2
  3. Passed Senate Next
  4. Passed House Not yet
  5. To President Not yet
  6. Law Not yet
Where it stands
In committee, Mar 2, 2023Next: Senate vote
1336d ago Mar 2, 2023: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Final votes
No roll callsNo recorded vote on this bill yet
Lobbying
4companies, 6 filings
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Member trades
7trades in the last 90 days
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Companies lobbying on this bill

4 companies
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Biotech & Pharma 3Medical Devices & Healthcare 1
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Summary

Safe Step Act

Full summary3 paragraphs

This bill requires a group health plan to establish an exception to medication step-therapy protocol in specified cases. A medication step-therapy protocol establishes a specific sequence in which prescription drugs are covered by a group health plan or a health insurance issuer.

A request for such an exception to the protocol must be granted if (1) an otherwise required treatment has been ineffective, (2) such treatment is expected to be ineffective and delaying effective treatment would lead to irreversible consequences, (3) such treatment will cause or is likely to cause an adverse reaction to the individual, (4) such treatment is expected to prevent the individual from performing daily activities or occupational responsibilities, (5) the individual is stable based on the prescription drugs already selected, or (6) there are other circumstances as determined by the Employee Benefits Security Administration.

The bill requires a group health plan to implement and make readily available a clear process for an individual to request an exception to the protocol, including required information and criteria for granting an exception. The bill further specifies timelines under which plans must respond to such requests.

Library of Congress summary, Mar 2, 2023

Summary versions
  • Introduced in SenateMar 2, 2023

Official record from Congress.gov, the House Clerk and the Senate; lobbying from Lobbying Disclosure Act filings. Updated Oct 28, 2026.