Opinion: First Opinion readers on Noah Lyles and Covid-19, the dearth of geriatricians, PBMs, and more
First Opinion is STAT’s platform for interesting, illuminating, and provocative articles about the life sciences…
Category: PBMs
Opinion: Some ‘inconvenient’ truths about pharmacy benefit managers
Pharmacy benefit managers have been in the crosshairs of late, as the focus of media…
Opinion: PBMs aren’t opening access to lower-cost biosimilars. Reform is needed now
The Federal Trade Commission presents on Thursday its interim staff report, “Pharmacy Benefit Managers: The Powerful…
STAT+: Wells Fargo faces class action lawsuit over workers’ high drug costs
Former employees sued Wells Fargo on Tuesday, alleging the banking giant violated federal law by…
STAT+: CVS and its PBM agree to pay $45 million to Illinois for failing to pass drug rebates
CVS Caremark, one of the largest pharmacy benefit managers in the country, agreed to pay…
STAT+: House hearing keeps pressure on PBM practices while Congress considers reforms
The House Oversight Committee kept pressure on drug middlemen at a hearing today that focused…
STAT+: Express Scripts overcharged postal workers by $45 million, audit says
Express Scripts, one of the largest pharmacy benefit managers in the country, overcharged U.S. Postal…
STAT+: FTC report finds PBMs profit at the expense of patients and independent pharmacies
In stark terms, the Federal Trade Commission found in a report released Tuesday that pharmacy…
Watch: How pharmacy benefit managers influence drug pricing
This is Part 2 of “Behind the Counter,” an in-depth video series demystifying the complex…
Watch: The role of PBMs, patents, and public health in drug pricing
This is Part 1 of “Behind the Counter,” an in-depth video series demystifying the complex…
Opinion: The J&J lawsuit should be a wakeup call to the PBM industry — and to companies everywhere
The ongoing legal dispute involving Johnson & Johnson has again thrust the topic of pharmacy…
STAT+: Cigna wins case to block former executive from jumping to CVS
CVS Health viewed Amy Bricker as a potential CEO. But she won’t be going to…
STAT+: Elevance PBM’s president out as customers complain of prescription chaos
Paul Marchetti, the head of insurer Elevance Health’s pharmacy benefit manager, has left the company…
STAT+: PBM executives invited to testify before House panel
WASHINGTON — Executives from the three major pharmacy benefit manager companies have been invited to…
STAT+: A spending frenzy on obesity drugs
Want to stay on top of the science and politics driving biotech today? Sign up to get…
STAT+: Health care lobbying giants spent big as little got done in Congress
WASHINGTON — Congress did nothing this spring to rein in how pharmacy benefit managers operate,…
STAT+: As Humira biosimilars take over the market, CVS has created a new ploy: the drug ‘rebate credit’
The biggest enticement that large pharmacy benefit managers offer to the employers that hire them…
STAT+: White House is told the big three PBMs are ‘everything wrong with this industry’
As part of its battle to blunt the growing cost of medicines, the White House…
STAT+: White House to hold a listening session on reforming pharmacy benefit managers
In a bid to combat prescription drug costs, the White House will hold a listening…
STAT+: FTC says pharmacy benefit managers are stonewalling requests for information
A much-anticipated inquiry by U.S. antitrust regulators into pharmaceutical industry middlemen has been stymied because…
STAT+: Congress punts on PBM reform efforts
WASHINGTON — Congress has abandoned its attempt to reform how pharmacy middlemen operate in an…
STAT+: FTC to probe the role of middlemen in worsening drug shortage crisis
The Federal Trade Commission is launching a probe into the extent to which group purchasing…
Opinion: STAT+: A year in, the U.S. is still not taking advantage of lower-cost biosimilars for Humira
It’s been one year since the launch of the first adalimumab biosimilar for Humira in…
STAT+: House panel passes key PBM reform for sliver of commercial market
WASHINGTON — A House panel passed a bipartisan bill to ban drug middlemen from charging…
CDC and social media: The new misinformation war
You’re reading the web edition of D.C. Diagnosis, STAT’s twice-weekly newsletter about the politics and…
STAT+: A sweeping new lawsuit asks: Are employers liable if they overpay for drugs?
Johnson & Johnson faces a consequential new class action lawsuit — not in its role…
STAT+: CVS wants to become a medical powerhouse. Will long lines and understaffing hold it back?
CVS Health is perhaps best known for two things. First, there are the comically long…
STAT+: A PBM in Africa flips the industry’s script in a bid to make people healthier
WASHINGTON — For an app that helps pharmacies in Africa manage their medicines, the term…
The state of Medicare Advantage, in one chart
You’re reading the web version of Health Care Inc., STAT’s weekly newsletter following the flow of money…
UnitedHealth’s next physician acquisition & the January health insurance churn
You’re reading the web version of Health Care Inc., STAT’s weekly newsletter following the flow of money…
STAT+: Walgreens isn’t acquiring anytime soon, per CEO
Between Walgreens’ earnings call last week and its J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference presentation on Monday,…
STAT+: What to expect from hospitals and health insurers at this year’s JPM Healthcare Conference
Nonprofit hospitals often get overshadowed at the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference, the health care industry’s…
STAT+: GSK is replacing its popular Flovent inhaler with authorized generics, raising cost concerns for asthma patients
As of Jan. 1, thousands of asthma patients in the U.S. will no longer be…
UnitedHealth’s rehab restrictions, Texas medical school drama, and health care’s biggest profits
You’re reading the web version of Health Care Inc., STAT’s weekly newsletter following the flow of…
STAT+: Here’s who’s profiting the most in health care
For all the flack they get, the country’s four biggest pharmacy benefit managers reported a…
What the new health counsels at FTC, DOJ, and HHS might do
Three major government agencies are adding new officials to investigate price-gouging in health care —…
STAT+: Hot antitrust environment hangs over called-off merger between Cigna and Humana
Less than two weeks after reports surfaced saying Cigna and Humana were considering combining into…
STAT+: CVS’s new drug payment plan won’t lower patients’ prices, experts warn
CVS Health is promising to simplify how its pharmacies get paid for drugs. But that…
STAT+: Cigna, Humana in talks to merge into health insurance giant, per report
Cigna and Humana are in discussions to merge, a potential move that would create a…
STAT+: House panel passes PBM reforms, ratcheting up chance for passage
WASHINGTON — Panels in both the House and Senate have now passed restrictions to drug…
What health policies could hitch a ride on a spending bill?
You’re reading the web edition of D.C. Diagnosis, STAT’s twice-weekly newsletter about the politics and…
Medicare eligibility is tripping up the GOP presidential candidates
You’re reading the web edition of D.C. Diagnosis, STAT’s twice-weekly newsletter about the politics and…
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STAT+: Senate panel clears PBM reforms, safety-net hospital payments
WASHINGTON — A prominent Senate panel on Wednesday passed a new package of health policy…
STAT+: Key Senate panel to consider PBM, drug pricing reform package
WASHINGTON — A key Senate panel announced it will consider more policies to regulate pharmacy…
The future of health care in the House
You’re reading the web edition of D.C. Diagnosis. Sign up here to receive this newsletter in your…
Kaiser Permanente workers announce an official strike date
You’re reading the web edition of Health Care Inc., STAT’s weekly newsletter following the flow…
STAT+: PBMs were the target of House hearing, but pharma wasn’t spared criticism
WASHINGTON — Congress wants to reform PBM business practices to help lower the cost of…
STAT+: Medicare is urged to monitor how rebates affect Part D drug spending, but agency demurs
The U.S. government should monitor the effect that rebates have on Medicare Part D plans…
STAT+: House transparency, PBM reform bill gains bipartisan support
WASHINGTON — A Democrat has signed on to a legislative package that would require health…
A new House health package & hospitals’ new site-neutral talking points
You’re reading the web edition of D.C. Diagnosis. Sign up here to receive this newsletter in your…