Bipartisan Concern Grows Over Pharmacy Benefit Managers

Why it matters locally: While the District of Columbia has not yet enacted specific legislation regarding PBMs, the growing national bipartisan concern could influence future policy discussions at the federal level, potentially impacting healthcare costs and access to medications for residents.

Politicians and patients from both Republican and Democratic parties have voiced shared concerns regarding pharmacy benefit managers, commonly known as PBMs. This bipartisan sentiment has manifested in legislative action within some states. Tennessee and Arkansas have enacted regulations concerning PBM operations. These measures reflect a broader trend of increased examination into how PBMs function within the healthcare system. Amye Joseph, a Democrat from Elizabethton, Tennessee, and Charlie Joseph, a Republican also from Elizabethton, Tennessee, illustrate this convergence of opinion. Both individuals have expressed dissatisfaction with PBMs, despite their differing political affiliations.