Opinion Voices | Contributor: Focus on the real causes of the shortage in hormone treatments by Jennifer Weiss-Wolf and Suzanne Gilberg

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The article explains that the nationwide shortage of estradiol hormone patches for menopausal women is not due to a surge in demand but stems from structural problems in the U.S. pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) system, where a few vertically integrated insurance‑pharmacy conglomerates (CVS Caremark, Express Scripts, OptumRx) control most drug coverage and logistics, giving little incentive to keep low‑margin generic products like estradiol patches consistently stocked and instead favoring higher‑priced alternatives; the piece also notes that prescription rates for hormone therapy have actually remained low, debunks media narratives blaming women, and offers practical short‑term coping strategies (alternative formulations, online or compounding pharmacies, calling ahead) while urging systemic reforms to break the PBM-driven supply constraints.

Read more: https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2026-04-20/estradiol-patch-shortage-drug-supply

#FDA #CVSCaremark #ExpressScripts #OptumRx #CVSHealth #Cigna #UnitedHealthGroup #FTC #

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This stuff shouldn't happen in a country as rich as ours. Healthcare is a nightmare and it gets worse and worse every day that goes by.

https://triblive.com/local/westmoreland/class-action-suit-seeks-to-uphold-in-network-drug-benefits-for-ligonier-pharmacy-customers/

#HealthCare #UPMC #Highmark #ExpressScripts

I just spent way too much time working through the inflexible menu tree of an online pharmacy. Eventually I talked with a helpful human. I agreed to take a survey afterwards in order to give sharp feedback on the automated menu tree. But of course the survey was automated too. It didn't list any options corresponding to my gripes and didn't let me describe my gripes in my own language.

If you're listening, #ExpressScripts (@expressscripts), it was you.

#IVR, #NamingNames

What a BS #media headline. The REAL issue is the organized crime syndicates called “PMBs”. Pharmaceutical Management Branch needs to be legislated out of existence by #CONGRESS. #Biden was just trying to put a band-aid on it. What's needed is to eliminate PMB.

The problem is, we're all up against a fooking pill-industry that has deep pockets & greed as its primary motivators.

https://health.wusf.usf.edu/health-news-florida/2023-11-15/biden-administrations-limit-on-drug-industry-middlemen-backfires-pharmacists-say

#PMBs #Pharmacy #Healthcare #Medicare #Drugs #Pills #ExpressScripts

#ExpressScripts is #ableist and anti-poor because their partnership with #GoodRX blocks #Medicaid from being applied as the secondary and a lot of people have had it applied to their prescription(s) without consent and warning, potentially making their meds suddenly unaffordable. #Capitalism at work, folks.

#HealthInsurance