Lobbying spending by the health care industry has increased steadily over the past decade, reaching $129.3 million in 2023, according to data compiled by OpenSecrets. Among the major health plans and industry organizations, Blue Cross Blue Shield plans, AHIP, The Cigna Group and UnitedHealth Group spent the most during the 2023-2024 period, with BCBS plans spending more than $43 million from 2023 through the second quarter of 2024.

Since 2016, the health services/HMOs industry, which traditionally gives more to Republicans, has shifted to distribute more campaign funds to Democratic lawmakers. With the 2024 presidential election around the corner, around 57.3% of funds were donated to Democrats in the 2023-2024 election cycle. Among the top 20 lawmakers who received the most contributions from the industry during this election cycle, 11 are Democrats. Kamala Harris, who is running for president after President Joe Biden dropped out and endorsed her, topped the list and received over $2,347,000. Former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, received $638,421.

The pharmaceutical and health products industry, which has consistently outspent all other industries on federal campaign contributions and lobbying, spent nearly $378.6 million in 2023 to further policy goals, according to data compiled by OpenSecrets.

With the 2024 presidential election around the corner, the pharma/health products industry nearly evenly distributed their donated campaign funds to Democratic and Republican lawmakers during the 2023-2024 election cycle. Among the 20 lawmakers who received the most contributions from the industry, nine are Democrats. President Joe Biden, who is running for re-election this year, topped the list, receiving over $232,000.

The pharmaceutical and health products industry, which has consistently outspent all other industries on federal campaign contributions and lobbying, spent nearly $378.6 million in 2023 to further policy goals, according to data compiled by OpenSecrets.

With the 2024 presidential election around the corner, the pharma/health products industry nearly evenly distributed their donated campaign funds to Democratic and Republican lawmakers during the 2023-2024 election cycle. Among the 20 lawmakers who received the most contributions from the industry, nine are Democrats. President Joe Biden, who is running for re-election this year, topped the list, receiving over $232,000.

Two congressional committees advanced notable PBM legislation, moving one step closer toward comprehensive changes to PBMs’ dominant business model.

The Senate Finance Committee, with a near-unanimous bipartisan majority, advanced a major Medicare- and Medicaid-focused PBM reform bill on July 26. D.C. insiders tell AIS Health, a division of MMIT, that the committee’s move bodes well for notable commercial market PBM reforms. So does the fact that senators of both parties are emphatically in favor of it, despite reluctance by some Republican members of the House of Representatives to make aggressive changes to PBM regulations.

Two congressional committees advanced notable PBM legislation, moving one step closer toward comprehensive changes to PBMs’ dominant business mode.

The Senate Finance Committee, with a near-unanimous bipartisan majority, advanced a major Medicare- and Medicaid-focused PBM reform bill on July 26l. D.C. insiders tell AIS Health, a division of MMIT, that the committee’s move bodes well for notable commercial market PBM reforms. So does the fact that senators of both parties are emphatically in favor of it, despite reluctance by some Republican members of the House of Representatives to make aggressive changes to PBM regulations.

CVS Health Co.’s Caremark PBM struck a deal with GoodRx, Inc. that will allow eligible Caremark members to automatically access to GoodRx's prescription pricing at the pharmacy counter, which may lower their out-of-pocket costs for generic medications, per a July 12 press release. Using GoodRx coupons won’t affect members’ deductible and out-of-pocket threshold calculations, CVS added, noting that “plan members only need to utilize their existing benefit card at their preferred in-network pharmacy” to access the new discounts. “Through this program, patients don't have to choose between using their pharmacy benefit or using GoodRx to save on their prescriptions — now they can do both right at the counter so they have confidence they are always paying the lowest available price, said Scott Wagner, interim CEO of GoodRx. “This collaboration can make a meaningful difference for the tens of millions of Americans that CVS Caremark serves." The pact isn’t GoodRx’s first deal with a “big three” PBM — GoodRx also has a similar discount arrangement with The Cigna Group’s Express Scripts.

The health insurer trade group AHIP recently unveiled a new advertising campaign that accuses the pharmaceutical industry of deflecting blame for its “price-gouging” practices and undermining the “evidence-based, market-driven tools” that health insurers use to keep drug costs in check. But the campaign doesn’t appear to mention PBMs, even though they’re the ones conducting drug-price negotiations with manufacturers on behalf of health plans and employers.

Health care industry observers say that omission is unsurprising since PBMs are currently facing a growing wave of scrutiny — scrutiny that insurers likely want to minimize even if they don’t want to lobby for that explicitly. Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), meanwhile, pounced on the opportunity to call out what it sees as the unspoken, PBM-supporting message in AHIP’s new campaign.

The pharmaceutical and health products industry poured over a record amount — more than $373.7 million — into lobbying and outspent all other industries in 2022, according to data compiled by OpenSecrets.

During the 2021-2022 election cycle, the pharma/health products industry bucked its historical trend of favoring Republicans and distributed around 60% of donated campaign funds to Democratic lawmakers. Among the 20 lawmakers who received the most contributions from the industry during the election cycle, 14 are Democrats. Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) topped the list, receiving over $764,000.

The health insurer trade group AHIP recently unveiled a new advertising campaign that accuses the pharmaceutical industry of deflecting blame for its “price-gouging” practices and undermining the “evidence-based, market-driven tools” that health insurers use to keep drug costs in check. But the campaign doesn’t appear to mention PBMs, even though they’re the ones conducting drug-price negotiations with manufacturers on behalf of health plans and employers.

Health care industry observers say that omission is unsurprising since PBMs are currently facing a growing wave of scrutiny — scrutiny that insurers likely want to minimize even if they don’t want to lobby for that explicitly. Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), meanwhile, pounced on the opportunity to call out what it sees as the unspoken, PBM-supporting message in AHIP’s new campaign.

The pharmaceutical and health products industry poured over a record amount — more than $373.7 million — into lobbying and outspent all other industries in 2022, according to data compiled by OpenSecrets.

During the 2021-2022 election cycle, the pharma/health products industry bucked its historical trend of favoring Republicans and distributed around 60% of donated campaign funds to Democratic lawmakers. Among the 20 lawmakers who received the most contributions from the industry during the election cycle, 14 are Democrats. Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) topped the list, receiving over $764,000.