1. United States
2. Mich.
3. Letter

The Patients Before Monopolies Act is a much-needed step towards addressing the concerning consolidation and anti-competitive practices in the healthcare industry. By prohibiting parent companies of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and insurers from owning pharmacy businesses, this legislation aims to eliminate inherent conflicts of interest that have driven up drug costs, limited patient choices, and forced many independent pharmacies out of business. The vertical integration of PBMs and massive pharmacy chains under insurance giants like CVS/Aetna, Cigna, and UnitedHealthcare has allowed these companies to rig the drug delivery system for their own benefit at the expense of patients and smaller competitors. This monopolistic behavior has eroded access to care, particularly in underserved areas, and contributed to the overall erosion of trust in the healthcare system. By mandating divestitures within three years and empowering regulatory bodies to enforce this separation, the Act seeks to restore competition, lower costs, and prioritize patient care over corporate profits. This aligns with calls for structural reforms to address the concerning degree of consolidation in the healthcare market. The need for such reforms has become even more pressing following the recent tragedy involving UnitedHealthcare, which has highlighted the dangers of unchecked corporate power in a sector as vital as healthcare. This bipartisan effort is a step in the right direction towards a more equitable and competitive healthcare landscape that serves the interests of patients rather than monopolistic entities.