DC Journal Author: Mark Merritt If Americans want to pay less for prescription drugs, there is no way to do it without reforming the Pharmacy Benefit Manager industry. Congress should do so by the end of this year. The PBMs, once known for reducing drug costs, no longer exist. Literally, they are no longer independent companies. They sit inside the insurance giants that own them. Cash machines to help health conglomerates hit quarterly numbers. For 15 years, I led the trade a

Community pharmacies are facing major barriers due to PBM practices and vertical integration, ultimately jeopardizing patient access and trust in health care. Drug Topics Independent community pharmacies are grappling with unprecedented pressures that threaten their viability and reshape the patient care landscape. As pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) practices like direct and indirect remuneration (DIR) fees, clawbacks, and low reimbursement rates have accelerated, pharmacists

The drug intermediary overseeing the military’s TRICARE pharmacy program is limiting access to care and overcharging taxpayers hundreds of dollars on average per prescription. The Lever Reporter: Helen Santoro One of the nation’s most powerful pharmacy intermediaries is quietly charging the military’s health insurance program $484 more on average per generic drug than independent and big chain pharmacies, according to exclusive data shared with The Lever. The scheme forces ta

The corporate takeover of health care has destroyed America’s health STAT Reporters: Steffie Woolhandler, David U. Himmelstein, Adam W. Gaffney, and Danny McCormick Health care costs are surging. ACA Marketplace premiums will rise 18%  next year— even more for the millions set to lose their enhanced federal subsidies without congressional action. Meanwhile, big employers expect their premiums — already about $25,000 for family coverage — to increase 9% in 2026. Gargantuan he

Pharmacy Times Authors: Debra Patt, MD, PhD, MBA , Jeff Hunnicutt Key Takeaways PBMs, initially designed to reduce costs, now inflate...

HME News Reporter: HME News Staff Pharmacy benefit managers had little competition in 2023, with just four firms having two-thirds share...

Fierce Healthcare Reporter: Paige Minemyer While major pharmacy benefit management reform was stripped out of the Big Beautiful Bill, a...

WPRI News 12 Reporter: Elizabeth Turley CVS Health plans to appeal after a judge in the Southern District of New York ordered its...

Prescott eNews At the speed of today’s news cycle, it can be hard to keep up with the latest healthcare policy news coming out of...

BenefitsPro Reporter: Wes Hill Whether it is regulating pharmaceutical manufacturers, health insurers, or pharmacy benefits managers,...

Axios Reporter: Maya Goldman Drug price middlemen are going to court to fight a first-in-the-nation effort to police their ownership of...

State efforts are aiming to bring more disclosure and transparency to PBM practices, mandating certain pharmacy reimbursement levels,...

News & Observer Reporter: Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi The North Carolina Senate passed Wednesday, with unanimous support, a bill...

A trade group hopes to aim the Department of Government Efficiency at its members' adversaries to "eliminate waste." ALM Benefits Pro...

Axios Reporter: Tina Reed At least half a dozen states are weighing new restrictions aimed at limiting pharmacy benefit managers' ability...

They say current setup gives them “power over their own pharmacies’ competition” Ohio Capital Journal Reporter: Marty Schlade n Ohio...

Arkansas is leading the charge in regulating PBMs, which the Federal Trade Commission said in a 2024 report are inflating drug costs and...

Pharmacy benefit managers say attempts to restrict their business practices will lead to higher drug prices for patients. Rep. Heather...

Pharmacy Times Author: Muhammad Cheema, PharmD Imagine walking into your pharmacy only to find that your medication is no longer...

While multiple factors can contribute to a business closing, the additional costs Pharmacy Benefit Managers impose on pharmacies...