When I asked my kids about going to Arkansas with me for the first time to attend a hearing on breaking up health insurance monopolies, my daughter was excited for the chance to see "the bad guys lose." I love her drive! To her, it was simple: what these companies are doing is wrong, and that makes it an easy win.

Unfortunately, in many states, it's not that straightforward. But we're getting closer.

While speaking about my son, I mentioned as I fought back tears that when I started he was 8. He's now taller than myself at the age of 15. Over the last few years as he's grown, I've only seen PBMs get stronger. Today, there is hope.

Thankfully, people across the country, including my kids, got to see the Goliaths lose again in Arkansas. The bill is advancing to the Senate floor tomorrow for a full vote, and there was only one senator who voted against it, Senator Missy Irvin. HB 1150 is a bill that would require pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) that own pharmacies to divest from those pharmacies. For example, Cigna's PBM, Express Scripts, would have to choose between being a PBM that oversees reimbursements or owning a pharmacy—they can't do both. It's an obvious conflict of interest to see your own reimbursements and competitors. The same would apply to CVS Caremark and CVS, as well as United Healthcare's Optum!

If you're in Arkansas or know of people in Arkansas, tell them to contact their legislators.

Thank you for your continued support! 

Loretta Boesing, Patient Advocate

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