V.I. Attorney General Joins 37-State Coalition Urging Congress to Ban Pharmacy Benefit Managers From Owning Pharmacies

Attorney General Gordon C. Rhea of the U.S. Virgin Islands has joined a bipartisan coalition of 38 attorneys generalfrom across the United States and its territories, calling on Congress to prohibit pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs)and their parent companies from owning or operating pharmacies. The request was made in a formal letter sent to congressional leadership, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. The letter urges lawmakers in the 119th Congress to address the mounting concerns over the growing dominance of PBMs in the prescription drug marketplace and the detrimental effect that consolidation has had on competition, affordability, and patient access to care. "Pharmacy benefit managers were meant to serve as intermediaries to help manage drug costs, but instead, they’ve used their position to dominate the marketplace and crush independent pharmacies," said Att...