Tag: Federal Trade Commission
Federal Trade Commission launches Healthcare Task Force
March 24, 2026HME News Staff
WASHINGTON – Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson has directed the agency’s staff to form a Healthcare Task Force that will engage in a coordinated, integrated approach to health care enforcement and advocacy to protect American patients, health care works and taxpayers. In a new memo, he directed the FTC’s Bureaus of Competition, Consumer Protection and Economics, as well as the Office of Policy Planning and Office of Technology, to form the task force to
Lead...
FTC settles with Express Scripts on agreement to change PBM practices
February 5, 2026HME News Staff
WASHINGTON – The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has secured a landmark settlement with one of the nation’s largest pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), Express Scripts, Inc., and its affiliated entities (collectively ESI).
According to the FTC, the settlement:
Requires ESI to adopt fundamental changes to its business practices that increase transparency;
Will drive down patient out-of-pocket costs for drugs like insulin...
In brief: FTC scrutinizes PBMs – again, Lincare settles, Cardinal breaks ground
January 17, 2025HME News Staff
WASHINGTON – The Federal Trade Commission has published a report that found pharmacy benefit managers Caremark Rx LLC (CVS), Express Scripts and OptumRx marked up numerous specialty generic drugs by hundreds or thousands of percent.
The report, the second produced by the FTC, focused on PBMs influence over specialty generic drugs, including significant price markups by PBMs for cancer, HIV and a variety of other critical drugs.
“The FTC staff’s second interim...
FTC scrutinizes PBM markups
January 15, 2025HME News Staff
WASHINGTON – The Federal Trade Commission has published a report that found pharmacy benefit managers Caremark Rx LLC (CVS), Express Scripts and OptumRx marked up numerous specialty generic drugs by hundreds or thousands of percent.
The report, the second produced by the FTC, focused on PBMs influence over specialty generic drugs, including significant price markups by PBMs for cancer, HIV and a variety of other critical drugs.
“The FTC staff’s second interim...
Owens & Minor, Rotech receive second request from FTC
October 15, 2024HME News Staff
RICHMOND, Va. – Owens & Minor and Rotech Healthcare on Oct. 11 each received a request for additional information and documentary materials from the Federal Trade Commission in connection with its review of the merger of the two companies.
The effect of a second request is to extend the waiting period imposed by the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, until 30 days after each of the companies has substantially complied with the second request issued to...
In brief: DME’s value, FTC’s lawsuit, DMEscripts’ integration
September 25, 2024HME News Staff
WATERLOO, Iowa – The cost of treating injuries and illnesses due to lack of DME far exceeds the cost of providing the necessary equipment, according to a new report from Leitten Consulting.
For example, every dollar spent on mobility equipment can save Medicare $62.53 in treatment costs, the report found.
“An ounce of prevention is now worth several pounds of cure,” said Brian Leitten, CEO of Leitten Consulting, which specializes in health care policy analysis...
FTC sues PBMs
September 23, 2024HME News Staff
WASHINGTON – The Federal Trade Commission has sued the three largest prescription drug benefit managers (PBMs) – Caremark Rx, Express Scripts and OptumRx – and their affiliated group purchasing organizations for engaging in anticompetitive and unfair rebating practices that have artificially inflated the list price of insulin drugs.
These practices have also impaired the ability of patients to access lower list price products and shifted the cost of high insulin list...
FTC scrutinizes PBMs in new report
July 9, 2024HME News Staff
WASHINGTON – The Federal Trade Commission has published an interim report that underscores the impact pharmacy benefit managers have on accessibility and affordability of prescription drugs.
The FTC’s report, which is part of an ongoing inquiry launched in 2022, details how increasing vertical integration and concentration has enabled the six largest PBMs to manage nearly 95% of all prescriptions filled in the United States. This market structure has allowed PBMs to profit at...
In brief: MedPAC details spending, FTC slaps Surescripts
August 2, 2023HME News Staff
WASHINGTON – The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) has released its 2023 data book on health care spending and the Medicare program.
The 200-page report provides Medicare data on spending, demographics, beneficiary access to care, and quality of care, among other information.
Among MedPAC’s findings:
Medicare was the largest single purchaser of personal health care in the U.S., gobbling up 24% of total spend;
Medicare spending...
FTC reaches proposed settlement with Surescripts
July 31, 2023HME News Staff
WASHINGTON – The Federal Trade Commission has filed a proposed order to remedy what it says is anticompetitive conduct by Surescripts that led to higher prices, stifled innovation and reduced customer choice in the e-prescribing market.
The order follows a favorable federal court ruling that found Surescripts possesses monopoly power in e-prescribing services with a 95% “super share,” according to the FTC.
“The FTC will not hesitate to take action in...