LETTERS: Congress Should Fix PBMs, Not Limit Medicines

As someone managing diabetes here in Louisiana, I know how essential access to the right medication is. I take Ozempic to help control my blood sugar and keep my A1C levels in check—and it’s made a real difference in my health.

But like many patients, I’m worried about federal policies that could take that access away. Proposals like the “Most Favored Nation” model would tie drug prices in the U.S. to those in foreign countries. That may sound like a good way to lower costs, but it could restrict access to new treatments and slow down innovation. For people like me, that’s a real threat.

Meanwhile, the real cost drivers in the system—Pharmacy Benefit Managers or PBMs—go largely unchecked. These middlemen dictate what drugs are covered, what patients pay, and which pharmacies we can use. They often make it harder for patients to get the medications their doctors prescribe.

Instead of imposing price controls that could backfire, Congress should focus on reforming PBMs and increasing transparency. That’s a real solution that would lower costs without putting patients at risk.

I urge Senator Cassidy, Speaker Johnson, Representative Scalise, and Representative Letlow to stand up for patients and support policies that preserve access and protect innovation.

— Casey Key, Louisiana