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May 12, 2025
Breaking News

Illinois Targets Drug Middlemen to Lower Medication Costs—But Industry Pushback Leaves Bill in Limbo


Illinois Targets Drug Middlemen to Lower Medication Costs—But Industry Pushback Leaves Bill in Limbo

Illinois Cracks Down on Secretive Drug Middlemen – Will Pharmacies Survive?

How Hidden Pharmacy Intermediaries Are Driving Up Drug Prices

A fierce battle is brewing in Illinois as lawmakers take aim at pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), the shadowy middlemen controlling prescription drug costs. These little-known companies operate behind the scenes, determining which medications patients can access and how much pharmacies get paid.

The PBM Power Struggle: 3 Critical Issues

  • Skyrocketing medication costs: PBMs often take larger cuts while pharmacies struggle with razor-thin margins
  • Patient access threatened: Independent pharmacies are closing at alarming rates across rural Illinois
  • Lack of transparency: Complex rebate systems make it impossible to track true drug costs

Groundbreaking Illinois Legislation

The proposed laws would:

  1. Require PBMs to obtain state licenses
  2. Prohibit spread pricing (where PBMs charge insurers more than they pay pharmacists)
  3. Mandate clear reporting of rebates and fees

"We're seeing patients choose between food and medications," said Chicago pharmacist Mark Henderson. "These reforms can't come soon enough."

What Do You Think?

  • Should PBMs face the same regulation as insurance companies?
  • Is government intervention the solution, or would it make drug costs worse?
  • Are independent pharmacies doomed regardless of these changes?
  • Should patients have the right to know exactly how much PBMs profit from their prescriptions?

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Source Credit

Elwood Hill
author

Elwood Hill

Elwood Hill is an award-winning journalist with more than 18 years' of experience in the industry. Throughout his career, John has worked on a variety of different stories and assignments including national politics, local sports, and international business news. Elwood graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in journalism and immediately began working for Breaking Now News as lead journalist.

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