PBMs vs States Over Drug Prices

Durham News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Jun 27, 2026 · 1m

A fierce battle is unfolding over prescription drug pricing, centered on pharmacy benefit managers—powerful middlemen controlling billions in U.S. prescriptions. As states push to regulate how PBMs pay pharmacies, giants like CVS are spending millions to block new laws, even suing states over pharmacy closures. While PBMs claim they keep costs low by promoting generics, independent pharmacies say they’re barely surviving on razor-thin reimbursements, forced to sell non-drug items just to stay open. States are trying to help with minimum fees, but they’re often insufficient. With millions…