Bipartisan US PBM Reform Bill Moves Forward

A bipartisan bill including reforms to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) industry has been advanced by the US Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions committee. The bill, approved with an 18-3 vote, picked up several amendments in the mark-up session before it was advanced.

According to Zachary Brennan, “Senators argued briefly over the ultimate impact of banning PBM spread pricing, and Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) introduced an amendment to allow for an exception to the ban for certain employers, as some small businesses have favored spread pricing, as long as PBMs provide a non-spread price option as well. Sanders moved to table the amendment, even as Romney said he didn’t understand why it was being tabled, but the committee voted in favor of tabling it regardless.”

To read more, click here.

(Source: Endpoints, May 11^th, 2023)