The Patients Before Monopolies Act would prohibit pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and insurance companies from owning or controlling pharmacies at the same time. This bill is designed to prevent large corporations from controlling both sides of the prescription drug market, which supporters argue allows them to profit unfairly at the expense of patients and independent pharmacies. Any company currently violating this rule would have three years to sell off either their pharmacy operations or their PBM business. The Federal Trade Commission, Department of Justice, Department of Health and Human Services, and state attorneys general would be authorized to enforce the law through civil lawsuits, and any profits made during illegal ownership would be recovered and distributed to help consumers who were overcharged. The legislation was introduced in December 2024 and referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
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