Debunked Episode 16: Will the Trump administration’s drug pricing policy lead to the end of PBM?
The Trump administration’s interest in lowering drug prices is partly due to the drug companies going to sell directly to consumers, triggering a fascinating exchange between debunked broadcaster host MedCity News-in-The-News Editor Arundhati Parmar and Health Innovation Pitch’s management partner Samir Batra. They discussed how math works, pharmaceutical companies have begun to adopt a direct consumer approach to certain drugs, and where this will lead to it. Arkansas, home of Walmart, offers a preview of how the debate took place in the states. Natural State has banned PBM from owning or operating retail pharmacies, and other states are considering similar actions.
“I like what Trump is trying to do here. It makes sense in theory,” Samir observed. “But if we eliminate the middleman, the broker, the fat disappears… the pharma will deal directly with the payer.”
Speaking of payers, the UnitedHealth Group replaced UH chairman and former CEO Stephen Hemsley with poor quarterly earnings and a tough 2025 outlook for 2025, which has sparked another conversation about payers’ MedCare Advantage issues. A report from the Guardian newspaper alleges that United Healthcare has incentivized nursing homes to avoid transferring patients to hospitals to increase costs by negative UH publicity trends.
Check out the full Debunk Podcast below!
