“Caremark, ESI, and Optum—as medication gatekeepers—have extracted millions of dollars off the backs of patients who need lifesaving medications,” said one agency leader.
By Jessica Corbett. Publishe 9-21-2024 by Common Dreams
The Federal Trade Commission on Friday initiated a legal process against middlemen that collectively administer about 80% of all prescriptions in the United States, accusing them of artificially inflating the list price of insulin drugs and blocking patients from accessing cheaper products.
The FTC action targets the “Big Three” pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs): CVS Health’s Caremark Rx, Cigna’s Express Scripts (ESI), and UnitedHealth Group’s OptumRx. It also involves their affiliated group purchasing organizations (GPOs): Zinc Health Services, Ascent Health Services, and Emisar Pharma Services.
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