Senate Hearing Continues Government Focus on PBM Industry

During a recent hearing held by a U.S. Senate committee, a variety of witnesses took the stand who nearly all had one message in common: criticizing the role PBMs play in increasing medication costs for consumers. The hearing — which is just the latest indication lawmakers are more closely monitoring PBMs — occurred less than three weeks after Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) introduced the Pharmacy Benefit Manager Transparency Act of 2023 to the Senate floor.

Ryan Urgo, managing director of health policy at Avalere Health, tells AIS Health that the hearing and bill are part of “a broader effort by lawmakers right now to apply more scrutiny to the PBM business model and certain PBM business practices that lawmakers feel are either anticompetitive or contribute to the broader growth of drug prices.”

© 2025 MMIT
Tim Casey

Tim Casey

Tim has been a reporter and editor for newspapers, websites and magazines for more than 20 years, including 10 years covering health care business topics. He has a deep knowledge of the managed care industry and pharmacy benefit management. He also has experience covering medical conferences and clinical and legislative health care issues. In 2014, the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing selected Tim as one of 15 journalists to participate in a national symposium on the Affordable Care Act. Tim has a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Notre Dame and an M.B.A. from Georgetown University.

Related Posts

golden-gate-bridge
January 26

Insulin-Pricing Lawsuit Adds to Growing Pressure on PBMs

READ MORE
business-meeting
November 22

End of COVID Bump, Negative News May Have Dented PBM Satisfaction

READ MORE
pills-and-bottle
July 14

FTC Reveals PBM Investigation, Issues Policy Statement Targeting Rebates

READ MORE

GAIN THERAPEUTIC AREA-SPECIFIC INTEL TO DRIVE ACCESS FOR YOUR BRAND

Sign up for publications to get unmatched business intelligence delivered to your inbox.

subscribe today