Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has joined a bipartisan coalition of 39 attorneys general in urging Congress to take decisive action against Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs), citing their role in inflating prescription drug prices and limiting access to life-saving medications.
In a letter sent to Congress last week, the coalition calls for legislation that would prohibit PBMs and their parent companies from owning or operating pharmacies. The attorneys general argue that the current pharmaceutical supply chain structure gives PBMs excessive control over drug pricing, availability, and distribution—ultimately harming patients and independent pharmacies.
The letter criticizes the consolidation of power in the hands of three major corporations, which now control 80% of the prescription drug market. According to Bailey, this dominance enables PBMs to steer patients toward affiliated pharmacies and drive independent competitors out of business.
The coalition includes attorneys general from across the country, including California, New York, Texas, and Illinois, alongside U.S. territories such as American Samoa and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
