MISSOURI PBM REFORM IN THE NEWS
Read recent news stories covering PBM reform and the impact of PBMs on Missouri patients, pharmacies and communities. Summaries and links are below.
(The Beacon) Independent pharmacists from Missouri and Kansas are urging state lawmakers to address rising prescription drug costs and PBM practices. Testimony before a special Kansas Senate committee highlighted how PBM pricing and network rules can increase insurance costs and limit access, driving calls for transparency and reform at the state level.
(News-Press NOW) Dual PBM reform bills introduced in Missouri’s 2026 legislative session (SB 984 and HB 1850) would refine key PBM terms, increase transparency, require data sharing with regulators and plan sponsors, provide protections against patient steering, and more. Supporters say the reforms will help lower prescription costs, protect patient choice, and reduce financial pressure on independent pharmacies.
(Buchanan) This analysis highlights Missouri’s 2026 PBM reform efforts. The article discusses how key reforms address PBM contracting, pricing transparency, audit protections, and patient access concerns, and it explains the potential impacts for employers, health plans, and providers in the state.
(KOAM News Now) Reporting from Joplin, Missouri, local pharmacist Tim Mitchell, owner of Mitchell’s Drug Stores, shares firsthand how PBM practices have negatively impacted his business. The video segment discusses challenges with reimbursement rates and transparency, and highlights Missouri’s call for greater accountability.
(KFVS) As Missouri legislators advance PBM reform in the 2026 session, Missouri pharmacist owner Abe Funk shares how PBM practices affect community pharmacies and drug pricing.
(Jefferson City News Tribune) This piece highlights ongoing 2026 PBM reform efforts in the Missouri legislature, including comments from bill sponsors Senator Jill Carter (SB984) and Representative John Hewkin (HB1850). Sponsors note that increased PBM oversight can help protect independent pharmacies and lower prescription costs.
(KSNF) Reporting from Jasper County, Sen. Jill Carter discusses her bill, SB984, which would rein in the growing power of PBMs. Carter explains how PBMs now control multiple parts of the drug supply chain, while local pharmacist Andy Martin of Wilkinson Pharmacy describes the strain these practices have on his community.
(Missouri Independent) This piece previews the 2026 Missouri legislative session and highlights PBM reform as part of outgoing Senate President Pro Tem Cindy’s O’Laughlin’s agenda. Missouri pharmacist Abe Funk is featured discussing his efforts to engage legislators on PBM transparency and payment reform.
(St. Louis Post-Dispatch) Reporting from St. Louis, this piece chronicles the closure of Keller Apothecary, a nearly century-old neighborhood pharmacy, to illustrate how falling prescription reimbursements and PBM practices are squeezing community pharmacies out of business.
(St. Louis Business Journal) This article explores state and federal efforts to rein in pharmacy benefit managers during Missouri’s 2025 legislative session. It discusses Senator Travis Fitzwater’s push for PBM reform in Missouri alongside growing bipartisan momentum in Congress. Perspectives from independent pharmacists, including Missouri pharmacist Abe Funk, outline competing arguments from PBMs and employer groups over transparency, reimbursement fairness, and the impact of regulation on drug costs.