Senators Josh Hawley and Elizabeth Warren are teaming up on a bill that targets pharmacy benefit managers as the health care industry faces growing scrutiny following last week's shooting of UnitedHealthcare's CEO.Hawley, a Missouri Republican, and Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat, are introducing the Patients Before Monopolies Act to 'prohibit joint ownership of PBMs and pharmacies.
It would require any company in violation of the bill to divest its pharmacy business within three years.Warren said the bill would 'untangle these conflicts of interest by reining in these middlemen' that she says are responsible for 'hiking up drug costs, cheating employers, and driving small pharmacies out of business.'Hawley said: 'The insurance monopolies are ruining American health care. Patients and independent pharmacies are paying the price.