Posted by Michael Wonder on 06 Oct 2020
Supreme Court wary of letting states regulate prescription drug 'middlemen'
6 October 2020 – The Supreme Court appeared skeptical Tuesday that states should be allowed to regulate prescription drug "middlemen," even though their role affects more than 250 million Americans.
A majority of the court's eight justices expressed concern that such interference in the prescription drug marketplace would subject pharmacy benefit managers to dozens of state laws – something a 1974 federal law was meant to preclude.
The case, which pits 45 states and independent pharmacies against the trade organisation representing pharmacy benefit managers, has received little attention compared to another health care dispute the justices will consider in November: the third major challenge to the Affordable Care Act in eight years.
