As healthcare legislation continues to evolve, intense lobbying efforts by big corporations and prosperous organizations are shaping the discourse and policy outcomes.
The Rise of Healthcare Lobbying Spending: A Tug-of-War Between PBMs and the Industry
Understanding the Complexities of Healthcare Lobbying and Policy-Making
US Corporations and organizations are no strangers to lobbying practices, and those in the healthcare industry have their share. As I narrate this story, I want to provide a broad view of our healthcare landscape. By doing so, I hope to inform and encourage you to engage critically with the ongoing discourse on healthcare lobbying and policy.
The first quarter of 2024 has already been marked by rising lobbying spending by health trade associations. Not surprisingly, the drug industry and Pharmacy Benefits Managers (PBMs) are ushering in the interest. This surge in lobbying practice overlaps with the busy legislative period that includes conversations around health packages sought to introduce PBM transparency and site-neutral efforts.
ThePBMs are intermediaries that create drug formularies and negotiate rebates (discounts paid by a…
