Todd Brown

Apr 30, 2024 | commonwealthbeacon.org | Todd Brown

IN FEBRUARY, the attorneys general of several states, including Andrea Campbell in Massachusetts, appealed to federal lawmakers asking them to reform the way pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs, operate. The request makes sense. Pharmacy benefit managers were initially created to act as the middlemen between drug manufacturers and insurers. Their job is to negotiate drug discounts from the manufacturer in return for listing those medications on an insurer’s formulary.

Nov 7, 2023 | commonwealthbeacon.org | Todd Brown

It seems that every year we pay more for our health insurance premiums yet get less coverage. Time after time, customers come to our pharmacies to pick up a prescription and lament the increased costs of insurance premiums, copays, and co-insurance required by their insurers and pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs.  They tell us they’ve had to choose higher deductible plans just to “afford” insurance.

Oct 24, 2023 | healthaffairs.org | Todd Brown |Steven J. Keteyian |Michael Thompson |Havisha Pedamallu

Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is an important recommendation for patients who are recovering from a heart attack, heart failure, or cardiac condition that required medical treatment or surgical intervention. CR enhances the quality and length of life for these patients through a combination of physical activity, behavior change, and social support delivery over 36 sessions. Therapists help patients understand how to adapt their lifestyle to be cardioprotective and prevent future events.

May 3, 2023 | commonwealthmagazine.org | Todd Brown |Paul A. Hattis |Chris Lisinski

SECRET TRANSACTIONS, billions of dollars involved, hidden tactics. Sounds like the next big movie mega hit. But it's not. It's actually the world of pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs. You might not have heard of them, but they know a lot about your health care coverage. In fact, they orchestrate which drugs you have access to and how much you pay. Who are they and how did they get this power? That's exactly what federal and state lawmakers are now asking and PBMs don't like it.

May 2, 2023 | commonwealthmagazine.org | Todd Brown |Paul A. Hattis |Chris Lisinski

SECRET TRANSACTIONS, billions of dollars involved, hidden tactics. Sounds like the next big movie mega hit. But it's not. It's actually the world of pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs. You might not have heard of them, but they know a lot about your healthcare coverage. In fact, they orchestrate which drugs you have access to and how much you pay. Who are they and how did they get this power? That's exactly what federal and state lawmakers are now asking and PBMs don't like it.