Senate HELP's bipartisan PBM reform focus

What is the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions (HELP) focused on this year? Bipartisan PBM Reform.

When Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT) are on the same page, you know it’s a big issue.

Committee Chairman, Senator Bill Cassidy kicked things off (8:36 in the linked hearing), calling for reforms so that “100% of drug discounts are passed to the patient.” This approach aligns with the Pharmacy Benefit Manager Reform Act, which passed out of the HELP Committee last Congress but stalled before becoming law. That legislation would require PBMs to return manufacturer rebates in full to the payer—one of several measures aimed at lowering the high cost of prescription drugs.

Senator Bernie Sanders, the new Ranking Member of HELP, echoed Cassidy’s sentiments (11:36 in the hearing), underscoring the need to “take on the greed of PBMs” and vowing to see last year’s bipartisan agreement finally enacted. According to Sanders, the “first order of business” is getting that deal signed into law.

With both sides of the aisle now pushing for PBM reform, there’s renewed momentum to address the cost of prescription drugs for patients across the country.

Will this be the year Congress finally delivers on these much-needed reforms?

Watch the discussion here.