The legislation will impose new restrictions on pharmacy benefit managers, giant companies like CVS Caremark, Optum Rx and Express Scripts that oversee prescription drug benefits. The New York Times Reporters: Reed Abelson and Rebecca Robbins The spending package passed by Congress on Tuesday includes an effort to drive down drug prices, by imposing new restrictions on some of the most controversial practices of the giant companies that oversee prescription benefits. The leg

Dispense Times Author: Monique Whitney, PUTT Executive Director For years, small business pharmacies have withstood oppressive PBM anti-competitive practices and other market forces that thave pushed otherwise larger legacy pharmacies to the brink of closure. Still, in 2026 there are fewer independent pharmacies left to serve the growing ranks of patients needing access to affordable medication and care. There are also fewer advocates left to fight for you, your business and

Excessive prescription refilling by mail-order pharmacies leaves piles of unneeded pills; 'Every time, there are 15 extra' The Wall Street Journal Reporters: Christopher Weaver , Tom McGinty , and Anna Wilde Mathews U nitedHealth Group’s pharmacy mailed Medicare recipient Bill Zielinski so many refills of the cholesterol drug atorvastatin that his unused stash could last a year on the pill-a-day regimen his doctor ordered. Excessive refilling is common practice at U.S. mail-

December 11, 2025 Washington, DC To learn more about the Pharmacists Fight Back Act and to contact your federal legislator, visit PharmacistsFightBack.org

The Independence Bucks County Author: Dr Marion Mass On January 10, 2024, 22-year-old Cole Schmidtknecht of Appleton, Wisconsin, went to his big-box pharmacy and was told that a preventative asthma inhaler he had relied on for years was no longer covered by his insurer. He would have to pay over $500 for it — out of pocket. Cole left without the inhaler. On January 21, 2024, he died as a consequence of a severe asthma attack. His father, Bil, who had the same insurance provi

Real Clear Health Reporter: Justin Leventhal In the past decade, independent drugstores have been vanishing, especially in low-income, minority, and rural communities, in part due to pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) having rigged the system in favor of their own pharmacies. By steering patients to in-house pharmacies and squeezing independent pharmacies with hidden fees,  PBMs are driving local pharmacies out of business . This loss of competition hits vulnerable communities

Oregon Bend Bulletin Author: Monique Whitney, PUTT Executive Director The 85 community and independent pharmacies in Oregon are on the...

NoLa.com Author: Monique Whitney, PUTT Executive Director Recently guest essayist Rob Maness suggested banning pharmacy benefit managers...

Northwest Arkansas Gazette Reporter: Nathan Ansell Twelve pharmacy benefit managers have been found in violation of a rule requiring...

WebWire The American Medical Association (AMA) today published a  new annual analysis  (PDF) measuring competition in pharmacy benefit...

Oklahoma decision viewed as affirming broad ERISA preemption Employers increasingly challenging PBM laws across the country Bloomberg Law...

Ohio Capital Journal Reporter: Marty Schladen Owners of small pharmacies — many themselves members of local chambers of commerce — are...

The Federalist Author: Drew Johnson Why do we have a medical system in this country where too many people can’t get the treatment that...

The New York Times Author: Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders Behind inflated prescription prices, complicated insurance plans and...

Axios Reporter: Maya Goldman Drug price middlemen are going to court to fight a first-in-the-nation effort to police their ownership of...

Duluth News Tribune OPINION: by PUTT President, Deborah Keaveny On March 21, pharmacist Philip Hommerding was busy dispensing medications...

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, suggested Congress could once again move to overhaul PBMs’ controversial business practices after it passes...

The program was supposed to save the government money. It doesn’t. The Washington Post Editorial Board Republicans in Congress have made...

The state officials claim that ownership limits competition Consumer Affairs Reporter: Mark Huffman Key takeaways State attorneys general...

Arkansas Advocate Reporter: Tess Vrbin A House panel Wednesday approved a bill aimed at preventing pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) from...