; and (cc) is designated as an essential retail pharmacy by the Secretary for such plan year under subclause (IV). (IV) Designation of essential retail pharmacies (aa) In general For each plan year (beginning with plan year 2028), the Secretary shall designate pharmacies that meet the requirements specified in items (aa) and (bb) of subclause (III) as essential retail pharmacies, in accordance with this subclause. (bb) Required submissions from PDP sponsors For each plan year beginning with plan year 2028, each PDP sponsor offering a prescription drug plan shall submit to the Secretary, for the purposes of determining retail pharmacies that do not meet the requirement specified in item (aa) of subclause (III), a list of any retail pharmacy that is an affiliate of such sponsor, subject to time, manner, and form requirements established by the Secretary. (cc) Publication Not later than one month prior to the start of each plan year (beginning with plan year 2028), the Secretary shall list, on a publicly available website of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, all pharmacies designated as essential retail pharmacies for such plan year. (dd) Revocation of designation In the case where, during a plan year, the Secretary determines that a pharmacy no longer meets the requirements for designation as an essential retail pharmacy, the Secretary may revoke such designation for such pharmacy, as determined appropriate by the Secretary. (V) Other definitions In this clause: (aa) Affiliate The term affiliate means any entity that is owned by, controlled by, or related under a common ownership structure with a pharmacy benefit manager or PDP sponsor or that acts as a contractor or agent to such pharmacy benefit manager or PDP sponsor, if such contractor or agent performs any of the functions described in item (cc). (bb) Independent community pharmacy The term independent community pharmacy means a retail pharmacy, including a pharmacy that is associated with a franchise or a pharmacy services administrative