President Trump signs landmark PBM reforms into law
- IPMD
- 45 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Reporter: Sandra Levy
The U.S. House has passed appropriations legislation that includes pharmacy benefit manager reforms. The bill, which passed the House with a 217-214 vote and previously passed the Senate with a 71-29 vote, now proceeds to President Trump’s desk for his signature.
National Association of Chain Drug Stores president and CEO Steve Anderson issued a statement today following the vote.
Anderson stated, “Congress and the Trump Administration are delivering a historic win for the American people and for the trusted pharmacies that serve as the face of neighborhood healthcare. These PBM reforms are integral to reducing people’s drug costs and keeping pharmacy care within reach, and they must be implemented swiftly, effectively, and as intended by Congress.
“The abuses of the dominant PBM middlemen are widely recognized, and this landmark federal action reflects the broad, bipartisan commitment to confront and remedy them. This is the most important federal achievement yet for PBM reform, and it will sustain and build momentum for further reforms where needed.
“We are deeply grateful to the bipartisan champions who crafted and advanced these reforms, to the members of Congress who cast decisive votes, and to President Trump for his commitment to rein in middlemen practices that have harmed patients and undermined pharmacy access.”
The ERISA Industry Committee today also praised passage of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026 as a victory for the more than 160 million workers and families who receive their coverage through the employer-based system. ERIC has long been an outspoken advocate on these provisions because they increase transparency and accountability and have an impact on affordability for employers and workers.
“For years, ERIC has carried the proverbial PBM policy football down the field. Some years, we gained yards. Other years, it was more like Lucy with the football in that old Charlie Brown cartoon. ERIC would get the ball down the field and be ready to kick it through the goal post for the win, only to have it yanked away at the last second,” said James Gelfand, president and CEO of ERIC. “Now, after eight years, ERIC-led reforms to the PBM industry that instill greater accountability and transparency made it across the goal line, and the result will be lower drug costs for more than 160 million Americans who get their health insurance through a job.”
Gelfand added, “We applaud the bipartisan leadership in Congress that recognized the importance of addressing health care affordability. Remaining determined and continually listening to employers, workers and patients alike, Congress demonstrated a clear commitment to doing what is right for patients and employers – and they didn’t back down despite significant pressure from the healthcare industry. We are grateful for their efforts and the work they’ve done alongside the Trump administration to deliver a victory for all stakeholders who will see it where it counts – in their pocketbooks.”
As expected, President Trump signed the bill into law yesterday afternoon.
The National Community Pharmacists Association's CEO Douglas Hoey said, “Community pharmacy owners are the canary in the coal mine when it comes to federal or state prescription programs. For years, our members and we have been telling anyone who will listen — and worked to convince others who wouldn’t listen — about the PBM-insurer conglomerates gobbling up market share, driving up drug costs, crushing small-business pharmacies, and making it more difficult for patients to receive the care they need. We’ve been warning that unless action is taken, more pharmacies will close, and more pharmacy deserts will grow. Unfortunately, as time passed, we were proven correct and finally, there is action to help reverse these trends... Continue Reading
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