Topic: Express Scripts

The role of Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) is identified as a primary driver of high drug costs through "spread pricing" and rebate scams. These middlemen allegedly inflate the price of generic drugs and pocket the difference, which President Trump's new executive orders seek to eliminate by mandating that rebates go directly to consumers.

Prescription drug spending in the U.S. rose 13% last year, driven by "specialty drugs" like the Hepatitis C treatment Sovaldi, which costs $80,000 for 12 weeks. The hosts argue that Obamacare has removed price sensitivity by shifting costs to insurance companies, allowing drug manufacturers to gouge the system. This "rigged" system ensures that high prices are funneled directly from insurers to pharmaceutical coffers.