As Congress ramps up efforts to rein in the power of pharmacy benefits managers as a way to address the rising cost of prescription drugs, a rift has emerged between some House Republicans who say lawmakers should focus on more pressing issues, such as the looming government shutdown.
Three House committees introduced joint bipartisan bills last week seeking to increase transparency from PBMs in an effort to lower healthcare costs, building on similar legislation making its way through the Senate. The legislation would require hospitals and insurance companies to provide information about healthcare costs and disclose the negotiated provisions that led to that agreement.
However, the proposals are not being met with approval from all in the House GOP, as some rank-and-file Republicans have expressed frustration with GOP leaders advancing legislation they say is largely influenced by Democrats. Some GOP aides have also expressed concerns that the bills are being supported and even funded by big pharmaceutical companies, with several conservatives arguing bills that target PBMs would only raise drug prices and benefit large pharmaceutical companies.
Advancing such legislation could also hurt the chances of Republicans in the upcoming election cycle, others argued, with at least one GOP Senate campaign staffer pointing to internal polling that showed candidates taking on Big Pharma was a top issue for voters heading into 2024.
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