Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. (RFK), secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), appeared at a recent Senate Finance Committee hearing to review the current administration’s healthcare policy priorities. Although much of the hearing focused on RFK’s efforts to alter medical research priorities and vaccination policies, discussion on PBM reforms also occurred. More specifically, RFK stated that the Trump administration is focused on bringing down prescription drug prices by regulating pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs).
RFK also claimed that President Donald Trump talks to him about PBM reform at least weekly. He further alleged that they are negotiating with PBMs, who have committed to some level of transparency, and talking with pharmaceutical companies, who also have an interest in lowering drug costs and increasing transparency.
Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., requested RFK’s support for a bipartisan PBM bill that she had co-sponsored in the previous Congress. RFK agreed to support the bill, which, according to Blackburn, is designed to limit PBMs’ profit and force disclosure of their pricing.
Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, also asked RFK to support a bipartisan measure calculated to prevent drug companies from using TV ads to increase the usage of high-cost drugs. RFK replied that HHS is already working on a proposed solution to that issue.
Furthermore, RFK announced efforts by the Trump administration to expand access to telehealth services and improve the process that insurance companies currently use to provide prior authorization for medical treatment options.
Finally, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore, cautioned that the cost of commercial insurance coverage is likely to increase next year due to a confluence of factors. Among these factors are Medicaid changes in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, changes in ACA enrollment rules, and reductions in ACA premium tax credit subsidies slated to take effect in the new year.
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