Overview
- At a bipartisan House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee hearing, lawmakers questioned players across the drug supply chain over rising prescription costs, including PBMs, pharma trade groups and experts.
- Leaders highlighted fiscal 2026 provisions recently enacted to boost PBM pricing transparency and curb incentives in Medicare Part D, with Chair Morgan Griffith signaling a potential markup before Memorial Day.
- Both parties sought disclosure of which drugs and prices are covered by President Trump’s Most Favored Nation agreements, with witnesses noting that basic terms, eligibility and enforcement details have not been made public.
- The discussion referenced last week’s launch of the TrumpRx coupon site for cash-paying patients, even as members said secrecy around the MFN deals prevents assessing benefits at the pharmacy counter.
- Lawmakers underscored PBM market concentration—citing roughly 80% control by CVS Caremark, Express Scripts and OptumRx—while industry witnesses traded blame and proposals included making PBMs fiduciaries to heighten accountability.