View all text of Subpart I [§ 447.500 - § 447.522]

§ 447.504 - Determination of average manufacturer price.

(a) Definitions. For the purpose of this section, the following definitions apply:

Average manufacturer price (AMP) means, for a covered outpatient drug of a manufacturer (including those sold under an NDA approved under section 505(c) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act), the average price paid to the manufacturer for the drug in the United States by wholesalers for drugs distributed to retail community pharmacies and retail community pharmacies that purchase drugs directly from the manufacturer.

Average unit price means a manufacturer's sales included in AMP less all required adjustments divided by the total units sold and included in AMP by the manufacturer in a quarter.

Charitable and not-for profit pharmacies means organizations exempt from taxation as defined by section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

Insurers means entities that are responsible for payment to pharmacies for drugs dispensed to their members, and do not take actual possession of these drugs or pass on manufacturer discounts or rebates to pharmacies.

Net sales means quarterly gross sales revenue less cash discounts allowed, except customary prompt pay discounts extended to wholesalers, and all other price reductions (other than rebates under section 1927 of the Act or price reductions specifically excluded by statute or regulation) which reduce the amount received by the manufacturer.

Retail community pharmacy means an independent pharmacy, a chain pharmacy, a supermarket pharmacy, or a mass merchandiser pharmacy that is licensed as a pharmacy by the State and that dispenses medications to the general public at retail prices. Such term does not include a pharmacy that dispenses prescription medications to patients primarily through the mail, nursing home pharmacies, long-term care facility pharmacies, hospital pharmacies, clinics, charitable or not-for-profit pharmacies, government pharmacies, or pharmacy benefit managers.

(b) Sales, nominal price sales, and associated discounts, rebates, payments, or other financial transactions included in AMP. Except for those sales, nominal price sales, and associated discounts, rebates, payments or other financial transactions identified in paragraph (c) of this section, AMP for covered outpatient drugs includes the following sales, nominal price sales, and associated discounts, rebates, payments, or other financial transactions:

(1) Sales to wholesalers for drugs distributed to retail community pharmacies.

(2) Sales to retail community pharmacies (including those sales, nominal price sales, and associated discounts, rebates (other than rebates under section 1927 of the Act or as specified in regulations), payments, or other financial transactions that are received by, paid by, or passed through to retail community pharmacies).

(c) Sales, nominal price sales, and associated discounts, rebates, payments, or other financial transactions excluded from AMP. AMP excludes the following sales, nominal price sales, and associated discounts, rebates, payments, or other financial transactions:

(1) Any prices on or after October 1, 1992, to the Indian Health Service (IHS), the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA), a State home receiving funds under 38 U.S.C. 1741, the Department of Defense (DoD), the Public Health Service (PHS), or a covered entity described in section 1927(a)(5)(B) of the Act (including inpatient prices charged to hospitals described in section 340B(a)(4)(L) of the PHSA).

(2) Any prices charged under the Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) of the General Services Administration (GSA).

(3) Any depot prices (including TRICARE) and single award contract prices, as defined by the Secretary, of any agency of the Federal government.

(4) Sales outside the United States.

(5) Sales to hospitals.

(6) Sales to health maintenance organizations (HMOs) (including managed care organizations (MCOs)), including HMO or MCO operated pharmacies.

(7) Sales to long-term care providers, including nursing facility pharmacies, nursing home pharmacies, long-term care facilities, contract pharmacies for the nursing facility where these sales can be identified with adequate documentation, and other entities where the drugs are dispensed through a nursing facility pharmacy, such as assisted living facilities.

(8) Sales to mail order pharmacies.

(9) Sales to clinics and outpatient facilities (for example, surgical centers, ambulatory care centers, dialysis centers, and mental health centers).

(10) Sales to government pharmacies (for example, a Federal, State, county, or municipal-owned pharmacy).

(11) Sales to charitable pharmacies.

(12) Sales to not-for-profit pharmacies.

(13) Sales, associated rebates, discounts, or other price concessions paid directly to insurers.

(14) Bona fide service fees, as defined in § 447.502, paid by manufacturers to wholesalers or retail community pharmacies.

(15) Customary prompt pay discounts extended to wholesalers.

(16) Reimbursement by the manufacturer for recalled, damaged, expired, or otherwise unsalable returned goods, including (but not limited to) reimbursement for the cost of the goods and any reimbursement of costs associated with return goods handling and processing, reverse logistics, and drug destruction, but only to the extent that such payment covers only those costs.

(17) Associated discounts, rebates, or other price concessions provided under the Medicare Coverage Gap Discount Program under section 1860D–14A of the Act.

(18) Payments received from and rebates and discounts provided to pharmacy benefit manufacturers (PBMs).

(19) Rebates under the national rebate agreement or a CMS-authorized State supplemental rebate agreement paid to State Medicaid Agencies under section 1927 of the Act.

(20) Sales to hospices (inpatient and outpatient).

(21) Sales to prisons.

(22) Sales to physicians.

(23) Direct sales to patients.

(24) Free goods, not contingent upon any purchase requirement.

(25) Manufacturer coupons to a consumer redeemed by the manufacturer, agent, pharmacy or another entity acting on behalf of the manufacturer, but only to the extent that the manufacturer ensures the full value of the coupon is passed on to the consumer and the pharmacy, agent, or other AMP-eligible entity does not receive any price concession.

(26) Manufacturer-sponsored programs that provide free goods, including but not limited to vouchers and patient assistance programs, but only to the extent that the manufacturer ensures: the voucher or benefit of such a program is not contingent on any other purchase requirement; the full value of the voucher or benefit of such a program is passed on to the consumer; and the pharmacy, agent, or other AMP-eligible entity does not receive any price concession.

(27) Manufacturer-sponsored drug discount card programs, but only to the extent that the manufacturer ensures the full value of the discount is passed on to the consumer and the pharmacy, agent, or the other AMP-eligible entity does not receive any price concession.

(28) Manufacturer–sponsored patient refund/rebate programs, to the extent that the manufacturer ensures that the manufacturer provides a full or partial refund or rebate to the patient for out-of-pocket costs and the pharmacy, agent, or other AMP-eligible entity does not receive any price concession.

(29) Manufacturer copayment assistance programs, to the extent that the manufacturer ensures the program benefits are provided entirely to the patient and the pharmacy, agent, or other AMP-eligible entity does not receive any price concession

(30) Any rebates, discounts, or price concessions provided to a designated State Pharmacy Assistance Program (SPAP).

(d) Sales, nominal price sales, and associated discounts, rebates, payments, or other financial transactions included in AMP for 5i drugs that are not generally dispensed through retail community pharmacies. Except for those sales, nominal price sales, and associated discounts, rebates, payments, and other financial transactions identified in paragraph (e) of this section, AMP for inhalation, infusion, instilled, implanted, or injectable drugs (5i) covered outpatient drugs identified in accordance with § 447.507 shall include sales, nominal price sales, and associated discounts, rebates, payments, or other financial transactions to all entities specified in paragraph (b) of this section, as well as the following sales, nominal price sales, and associated discounts, rebates, payments, or other financial transactions:

(1) Sales to physicians.

(2) Sales to pharmacy benefit managers.

(3) Sales to health maintenance organizations (HMOs), including managed care organizations (MCOs).

(4) Sales to insurers (except for rebates under section 1927 of the Act and this subpart).

(5) Sales to hospitals.

(6) Sales to clinics and outpatient facilities (for example, surgical centers, ambulatory care centers, dialysis centers, mental health centers).

(7) Sales to mail order pharmacies.

(8) Sales to long-term care providers, including nursing facility pharmacies, nursing home pharmacies, long-term care facilities, contract pharmacies for the nursing facility where these sales can be identified with adequate documentation, and other entities where the drugs are dispensed through a nursing facility pharmacy, such as assisted living facilities.

(9) Sales to hospices (inpatient and outpatient).

(10) Sales to manufacturers, or any other entity that does not conduct business as a wholesaler or retail community pharmacy.

(e) Sales, nominal price sales, and associated discounts, rebates, payments, or other transactions excluded from AMP for 5i drugs that are not generally dispensed through retail community pharmacies. AMP for 5i covered outpatient drugs identified in accordance with § 447.507 excludes the following sales, nominal price sales, and associated discounts, rebates, or other financial transactions:

(1) Any prices on or after October 1, 1992, to the Indian Health Service (IHS), the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA), a State home receiving funds under 38 U.S.C. 1741, the Department of Defense (DoD), the Public Health Service (PHS), or a covered entity described in section 1927(a)(5)(B) of the Act (including inpatient prices charged to hospitals described in section 340B(a)(4)(L) of the PHSA).

(2) Any prices charged under the Federal Supply Schedule (FSS) of the General Services Administration (GSA).

(3) Any depot prices (including TRICARE) and single award contract prices, as defined by the Secretary, of any agency of the Federal government.

(4) Sales outside the United States.

(5) Bona fide service fees as defined in § 447.502 paid by manufacturers to wholesalers or retail community pharmacies.

(6) Customary prompt pay discounts extended to wholesalers.

(7) Reimbursement by the manufacturer for recalled, damaged, expired, or otherwise unsalable returned goods, including (but not limited to) reimbursement for the cost of the goods and any reimbursement of costs associated with return goods handling and processing, reverse logistics, and drug destruction, but only to the extent that such payment covers only these costs.

(8) Any prices charged which are negotiated by a prescription drug plan under Part D of title XVIII, by any MA–PD plan under Part C of such title for covered Part D drugs, or by a Qualified Retiree Prescription Drug Plan (as defined in section 1860D–22(a)(2) of the Act) for such drugs on behalf of individuals entitled to benefits under Part A or enrolled under Part B of Medicare, or any discounts provided by manufacturers under the Medicare coverage gap discount program under section 1860D–14A of the Act.

(9) Rebates under the national rebate agreement or a CMS-authorized State supplemental rebate agreement paid to State Medicaid Agencies under section 1927 of the Act.

(10) Any rebates, discounts, or price concessions provided to a designated State Pharmacy Assistance Program (SPAP).

(11) Sales to patients.

(12) Free goods, not contingent upon any purchase requirement.

(13) Manufacturer coupons to a consumer redeemed by the manufacturer, agent, pharmacy or another entity acting on behalf of the manufacturer, but only to the extent that the manufacturer ensures the full value of the coupon is passed on to the consumer and the pharmacy, agent, or other AMP-eligible entity does not receive any price concession

(14) Manufacturer-sponsored programs that provide free goods, including, but not limited to vouchers and patient assistance programs, but only to the extent that the manufacturer ensures: the voucher or benefit of such a program is not contingent on any other purchase requirement; the full value of the voucher or benefit of such a program is passed on to the consumer; and the pharmacy, agent, or other AMP-eligible entity does not receive any price concession.

(15) Manufacturer-sponsored drug discount card programs, but only to the extent that the manufacturer ensures the full value of the discount is passed on to the consumer and the pharmacy, agent, or the other AMP-eligible entity does not receive any price concession.

(16) Manufacturer-sponsored patient refund/rebate programs, to the extent that the manufacturer ensures the manufacturer provided a full or partial refund or rebate to the patient for out-of-pocket costs and the pharmacy agent, or other AMP-eligible entity does not receive any price concession.

(17) Manufacturer copayment assistance programs, to the extent that the manufacturer ensures the program benefits are provided entirely to the patient and the pharmacy agent, or other AMP-eligible entity does not receive any price concession

(18) Sales to government pharmacies (for example, a Federal, State, county, or municipal-owned pharmacy).

(19) Sales to charitable pharmacies.

(20) Sales to not-for-profit pharmacies.

(f) Further clarification of AMP calculation. (1) AMP includes cash discounts except customary prompt pay discounts extended to wholesalers, free goods that are contingent on any purchase requirement, volume discounts, chargebacks that can be identified with adequate documentation, incentives, administrative fees, service fees, distribution fees (other than bona fide service fees), and any other rebates, discounts or other financial transactions, other than rebates under section 1927 of the Act, which reduce the price received by the manufacturer for drugs distributed to retail community pharmacies.

(2) Quarterly AMP is calculated as a weighted average of monthly AMPs in that quarter.

(3) The manufacturer must adjust the AMP for a rebate period if cumulative discounts, rebates, or other arrangements subsequently adjust the prices actually realized, to the extent that such cumulative discounts, rebates, or other arrangements are not excluded from the determination of AMP by statute or regulation.

[81 FR 5347, Feb. 1, 2016, as amended at 85 FR 87102, Dec. 31, 2020]