The American Prospect - Independent news and political analysis [Unofficial]The Threat of Big Insurance
Steven Saus [he/him](16 Jun) Ohio pharmacies can’t keep filling prescriptions at a loss
A pharmacy manager retrieves a bottle of antibiotics. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)As a pharmac...
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#commentary #ohio-pharmacies #ohio-pharmacies-walgreens #pbms #walgreens
what's trendingBig Pharma's Price Secret - All-In Pod
Miguel Afonso Caetano"The American Economic Liberties Project today released new research showing that at least 326 U.S. pharmacies have closed since Dec. 19, 2024, when Congress abandoned bipartisan, bicameral PBM reforms as part of a stopgap spending bill. The new data comes ahead of a vote in Congress tomorrow on a continuing resolution to fund the government, where the policymakers could include much-needed structural PBM reform.
“Despite later admitting that he does not know what a pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) is, Elon Musk successfully tanked PBM reforms with nearly unanimous House support late last year,” said Emma Freer, Senior Policy Analyst for Healthcare at the Economic Liberties Project. “As predicted, without Congressional intervention, the Big Three PBMs have continued to abuse their market power, squeezing at least 326 pharmacies – 237 of them independent – out of business in fewer than 10 weeks and stranding their most vulnerable patients in pharmacy deserts without access to lifesaving care. Given these high stakes, it is critical that Congress stand up to these healthcare monopolist middlemen and pass structural PBM reforms that will save their constituents’ time, money, and lives.”
#USA Musk #DOGE #PBMs #BigPharma #Healthcare #Oligopolies #Competition #Antitrust
326 Pharmacies Have Closed Since Elon Musk Tanked PBM Reform - 326 Pharmacies Have Closed Since Elon Musk Tanked PBM Reform
March 10, 2025 – The American Economic Liberties Project today released new research showing that at least 326 U.S. pharmacies have closed since Dec. 19, 2024, when Congress abandoned bipartisan, bicameral PBM reforms as part of a stopgap spending bill.
Chuck DarwinAs prescription drug prices continue to increase and federal efforts to control them stall,
state lawmakers are focusing on #PBMs, the middlemen which help insurers decide which drugs their plans cover and how much patients will pay out-of-pocket to get them.
However, they have been stymied by the drug industry’s secretive ecosystem of rebates, reimbursements, and obscure fees, thwarting efforts to lower drug costs.
In addition to California, PBM reforms have been introduced this legislative session in Arkansas, Iowa, and at least 20 other states as of Feb. 10.
Athough Trump has criticized PBMs and vowed to “knock out the middleman,”
his recent actions undoing moves to lower prescription drug prices have left some health care experts skeptical that meaningful reform will come from Washington, D.C.
https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/california-legislation-pharmacy-benefit-managers-pbms-middlemen-newsom/?dml-collection=88e63b63ff2ef939bbb98206afb0eea1&utm_source=distributedmedialab&utm_medium=referral&noamp=mobile
state lawmakers are focusing on #PBMs, the middlemen which help insurers decide which drugs their plans cover and how much patients will pay out-of-pocket to get them.
However, they have been stymied by the drug industry’s secretive ecosystem of rebates, reimbursements, and obscure fees, thwarting efforts to lower drug costs.
In addition to California, PBM reforms have been introduced this legislative session in Arkansas, Iowa, and at least 20 other states as of Feb. 10.
Athough Trump has criticized PBMs and vowed to “knock out the middleman,”
his recent actions undoing moves to lower prescription drug prices have left some health care experts skeptical that meaningful reform will come from Washington, D.C.
https://kffhealthnews.org/news/article/california-legislation-pharmacy-benefit-managers-pbms-middlemen-newsom/?dml-collection=88e63b63ff2ef939bbb98206afb0eea1&utm_source=distributedmedialab&utm_medium=referral&noamp=mobile
Top California Democrats Clash Over How To Rein In Drug Industry Middlemen - KFF Health News
Frustrated by spiraling drug costs, California lawmakers want to increase oversight of pharmaceutical industry intermediaries known as pharmacy benefit managers. It’s unclear whether they can persuade Gov. Gavin Newsom to get on board.
smegPBMs made billions marking up specialty drugs by more than 1,000 percent: FTC
https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5085119-ftc-report-pharmacy-benefit-managers/
#pbm #pbms #PBMreform #cigna #unitedhealth #prescriptions #pharmacybenefitmanagers #cvs #caremark #ushealthcarecosts #ushealthcare #healthinsurance
philjreese#Warren, #Hawley join forces for #USSenate bill to force health #insurers to sell off #pharmacies, #PBMs
#healthcare #healthinsurance #insurancereform #PBM #affordablehealthcare #corporategreed
Bipartisan bill would force health insurers to sell off pharmacies - Washington Examiner
The bipartisan bills would remove the middlemen who influence prices for prescriptions, making healthcare companies divest their pharmacies.
Catherine Collingwood Estes"The complaint argues that the #FTC’s process violates the companies’ due process rights under the #FifthAmendment." #CryMeARiver #PBMs #monopolies https://buff.ly/4i1hYhZ
Joseph Lim 
#FTC Sues #PBMs for Jacking Up Insulin $
"3 largest pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs)— #middlemen [aka #parasites] tt sit btw #patients, drug cos, & pharmacies in #prescriptiondrug trxns—for practices tt hv spiked the cost of #insulin by over 1200% over the past 2 decades.. PBMs use formularies to provide exclusive or near-excl use of certain types of insulins.. PBMs aren't preferring lowest-price insulins, but ones tt give them highest #rebates, which is how they #profit"
https://prospect.org/health/2024-09-20-ftc-sues-pbms-jacking-up-insulin-prices/
"3 largest pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs)— #middlemen [aka #parasites] tt sit btw #patients, drug cos, & pharmacies in #prescriptiondrug trxns—for practices tt hv spiked the cost of #insulin by over 1200% over the past 2 decades.. PBMs use formularies to provide exclusive or near-excl use of certain types of insulins.. PBMs aren't preferring lowest-price insulins, but ones tt give them highest #rebates, which is how they #profit"
https://prospect.org/health/2024-09-20-ftc-sues-pbms-jacking-up-insulin-prices/
CarolannieWhat are PBMs? Read this and see how else the medical "industry" is ripping you off. Resist the Shield of Boringness and My Eyes Glaze Over (MEGO)