The Georgia State Senate has introduced Senate Bill 91, a legislative measure aimed at prohibiting the Board of Community Health from contracting with pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) that own or have stakes in retail pharmacies. The announcement was made in a social media post on February 12.
Senate Bill 91, scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2025, seeks to impose new restrictions on PBMs by preventing them from managing state employee health insurance plans if they have ownership or financial ties to retail pharmacies. This legislation is intended to eliminate potential conflicts of interest in prescription drug pricing and ensure fair competition within the healthcare market.
According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the three largest PBMs—CVS Caremark, Express Scripts, and OptumRx—control 80% of U.S. prescriptions and generated $7.3 billion in excess revenue from specialty generics between 2017 and 2022. These PBMs reportedly imposed markups exceeding 1,000% on essential medications such as cancer and HIV treatments and directed more profitable prescriptions to their affiliated pharmacies.
Georgia State Senate's X post
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Stateline reports that Georgia’s independent pharmacies are closing rapidly due to low PBM reimbursements, particularly in rural and underserved areas. With closures occurring at nearly one per day in 2023, many communities face reduced access to essential healthcare services. This situation impacts elderly, low-income, and chronically ill patients who depend on personalized pharmacy services.
The Georgia Senate comprises 56 senators committed to serving the people of Georgia by prioritizing the interests of their constituents above their own. According to their website, they work diligently to meet the expectations and needs of the communities they represent.