Congress Stalls on PBM Reforms as Trump Vows to Eliminate 'Middlemen'
Proposed legislation to regulate pharmacy benefit managers is delayed, raising questions about future drug pricing reform efforts.
Overview
- Pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), which control much of the prescription drug supply chain, face criticism for driving up costs and squeezing pharmacy reimbursements.
- President-elect Donald Trump has pledged to eliminate PBMs, describing them as profit-driven middlemen who inflate drug prices without adding value.
- The Republican-led House removed PBM reform provisions from a government funding bill, which would have addressed spread pricing and required greater transparency in Medicaid and Medicare programs.
- Proposed reforms, supported by bipartisan lawmakers, aim to pass savings directly to patients and ensure fair pharmacy reimbursements, potentially saving taxpayers $1 billion over a decade.
- Trump's healthcare team, including RFK Jr. and Dr. Mehmet Oz, has prioritized PBM reforms, but Congress may act first, complicating Trump's ability to claim credit for addressing drug pricing issues.