Understanding Pharmacy Benefit Managers: The PBM Landscape Explained
EpiPen RICO Ruling Opens Door for Private AKS Enforcement
Part Two: The MFN Drug Pricing Rule and the Rebate Rule: Where Do We Go From Here?
Part One: Two new Medicare Drug Pricing Rules in One Day: What are the MFN and the Rebate Drug Pricing Rules?
Drug Pricing Initiatives During the Trump Presidency
A recent federal court decision has the potential to tip the balance in an ongoing series of skirmishes over state regulation of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). In McKee Foods Corp. v. BFP Inc. d/b/a/ Thrifty Med Plus...more
Arkansas has become the first state in the nation to enact legislation, effective starting in 2026, prohibiting pharmacy benefit managers (PBM’s) from owning or operating actual pharmacies within the state. We take a look at...more
On April 15, 2025, President Trump signed the Lowering Drug Prices by Once Again Putting Americans First Executive Order (Executive Order). The Executive Order revives and expands several pharmaceutical pricing and payment...more
The number of U.S. states implementing or considering new antitrust laws (or supplementing existing laws) targeting proposed transactions continues to grow. As detailed in our healthcare merger matrix, many states have...more
The pharmaceutical industry is a critical component of the global economy, impacting public health, national security, and economic stability. Recent developments—including investigations into the national security...more
Democratic state lawmakers start to move on promise to ‘be a check’ on Donald Trump - “With six weeks left in the spring legislative session, lawmakers have a range of measures before them that backers say are necessary to...more
In this episode of The Wiley Contracting Chronicles, co-hosts Jordan Ross and Brooke DeLoatch take a deeper dive into program segmentation within pharmacy benefit programs. After outlining the concept in their previous...more
On April 16, 2025, Arkansas House Bill 1150 (the “Bill”) was signed by Governor Huckabee Sanders. The Bill will have substantial implications for pharmacy benefit managers (“PBMs”) and pharmacies across the country....more
Last week, the energy changed under the golden dome as legislators gave the first indications they are moving towards ending this year’s legislative session. While ultimately not taken up by either chamber this week, Pharmacy...more
On April 15, President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order (EO) titled “Lowering Drug Prices by Once Again Putting Americans First,” outlining a renewed policy agenda to reduce prescription drug costs. The EO is framed as...more
Below is Alston & Bird’s Health Care Week in Review, which provides a synopsis of the latest news in health care regulations, notices, and guidance; federal legislation and congressional committee action; reports, studies,...more
On April 15, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order (EO) titled, “Lowering Drug Prices by Once Again Putting Americans First,” building on drug pricing related actions from his first term, President Biden era...more
On March 13, 2025, several current and former participants in the JPMorgan Chase Health Care and Insurance Program for Active Employees, as well as its component Medical Plan (collectively referred to as the “Plan”) filed a...more
An Overview of the Executive Order on Lowering Drug Prices - On April 15, 2025, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order aimed at reducing prescription drug prices in the United States. This order builds upon...more
On April 15, 2025, the White House issued an Executive Order (EO) entitled “Lowering Drug Prices by Once Again Putting Americans First.” The EO directs various agencies to engage in a number of distinct efforts to lower...more
In an April 15 Executive Order, entitled “Lowering Drug Prices by Once Again Putting Americans First,” the Trump Administration has called attention to an ERISA disclosure required by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of...more
The healthcare mergers and acquisitions (M&A) market began 2025 with a slower start than expected given the easing headwinds and building momentum at the end of last year, with the number of deals reported in Q1 lower than...more
News Briefs - Judge Blocks Trump from Cutting Billions in State Health Funding - A federal judge said she will grant a request from 23 states to issue an emergency block on the federal government's rescindment of billions in...more
Key points include access to medicines in medicare is reduced as the IRA is implemented; fewer drugs are covered on Medicare Part D formularies in 2025 relative to 2024; medicines for serious conditions with high unmet needs...more
The Spring Meeting is the largest gathering of competition, consumer protection, and data privacy professionals globally, with lawyers, academics, economists, enforcers, journalists, and students from around the world....more
Farm Bureau Health Plan - On Thursday, comprehensive legislation, sponsored by Representative David Faulkner, proposing the creation of a new type of "health plan" that would be exempt from most state and federal laws and...more
A recent wave of cases has attempted to apply the theory of liability for retirement plan excessive fee cases to health plans – specifically, arrangements with pharmacy benefit managers. Though the cases thus far have...more
Looking Ahead: House to Vote on Compromise Budget Resolution On the heels of the U.S. Senate's passage of a compromise budget resolution, the U.S. House of Representatives is expected to consider the budget resolution on the...more
Pharmacy Legislation - This week, the House Insurance Committee gave a favorable report to legislation, sponsored by Senator Billy Beasley, concerning Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) and altering the mechanism by which...more
Strike up the band! The penultimate day of the 2025 Legislative Session has come! Legislative Day 39 continues as this Gold Dome Report goes online, and Sine Die Eve has already proven to be a spectacle. From a marching band...more