The bipartisan National Association of Attorneys General wrote to Congressional leaders in support of a bill prohibiting PBMs from owning pharmacies. The act is an effort to promote a free market and combat anti-competitive behavior.

In an attempt to curb PBM growth and concentration, states are now scrutinizing PBM behavior against their own laws. This audit in Tennessee found that Express Scripts violated state law related to reimbursement, dispensing fees, and pharmacy appeal processes.

A new bill in Alabama (SB252) was brought to the Governor’s desk (and has since been signed into law), to protect the role of independent pharmacies and combat PBM spread pricing, among other things. The enacted text can be found at Act Number 2025 – 136.

The Arkansas Legislature passed a bill (HB1150) prohibiting PBMs from owning pharmacies in the state. The bill has since been signed into law (Act 624).

A recent West Health-Gallup poll finds that over one-third of Americans report an inability to access affordable healthcare, including prescriptions. Healthcare access and prescription affordability has worsened significantly for Black, Hispanic, and low-income Americans since 2021.

A House E&C subcommittee held a hearing in February (2025) to explore legislative action on reducing the cost of prescription drugs. This continues Congress’s attention to the topic, this time focusing mainly on ensuring that PBMs are pricing drugs fairly and that they pass on drug rebates to administering pharmacies.