S. 475 · 119th Congress

Lowers Medicare drug plan costs and limits for non-opioid pain medicines

Official title: Alternatives to PAIN Act1

Never got a floor voteMedicare coverage of new tests and services

§1What it does

Why this matters: A plain-English description of the bill as it was voted on, written by us from the official summary and text.

Drafted by AI from the public sources cited. Each sentence links to its source.

This bill would require Medicare prescription drug plans to cover certain non-opioid pain management drugs without a deductible and on their lowest cost-sharing tier, if they use tiers.2,3 Plans could not require prior approval for those drugs or make patients try an opioid first, a form of step therapy.2,3

§2Status

StatusLatest action, February 6, 2025: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.1
IntroducedFebruary 6, 2025
SponsorSen. Tillis, Thomas [R-NC]
Cosponsors36 cosponsors (18 Democratic, 17 Republican, 1 independent)
Official recordS. 475 on Congress.gov

§3It never got a vote

Why this matters: This bill had wide support from both parties, but it never reached the House or Senate floor, so no member of Congress was ever recorded voting for or against it.

Latest action, February 6, 2025: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.1 How bills die without a vote.

2026 candidates who sponsored or cosponsored it (11)