American consumers face skyrocketing out-of-pocket costs for their prescription medications. Senate Bill 2019 – The Preserve Access to Affordable Generics Act (S. 2019) would lower these costs by stopping the anticompetitive practice of “pay-for-delay” deals, also known as “reverse payment agreements.” These schemes enable brand-name pharmaceutical companies to pay-off potential generic competitors to postpone launching lower cost generic medications. The Federal Trade Commission has estimated that eliminating these agreements would save consumers about $3.5 billion a year.
