Where PBM Reform is Headed in 2025, Beyond | NCPDP 2025
Attorneys from The Phoenix Law Group joined Drug Topics at NCPDP 2025 to discuss the current state of pharmacy benefit manager reform and where it may end up in the near future.
When it comes to the most pressing issues within pharmacy today, reforming the industry’s prescription drug middlemen—or pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs)—has been one of the hottest topics on Capitol Hill. Despite bipartisan support in Congress and constant calls for PBMs’ control to be scaled back, the future of federal PBM reform remains significantly uncertain.
During the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs (NCPDP) 2025 Annual Conference, held May 5 to May 7 in Scottsdale, Arizona, Drug Topics met with Cami Agena, Esq, and Candida Ruesga, Esq, from The Phoenix Law Group. As attorneys that specialize in PBM matters, Agena and Ruesga helped us fill in the gaps regarding the current state of PBM reform in the US.
“By the end of 2025, I’m not sure we’ll see much [PBM reform],” Agena told Drug Topics. “Congresses are 2 years, so whether it gets introduced in this Congress or it wades until after midterms and you see some more activity in the next session, that would be my best guess; but it’s just a guess.”
From ongoing FTC investigations to the data collection necessary for federal authority to understand PBM practices, Agena and Ruesga provided insights into the most recent timeline of PBM reform and how it may inform the future of the PBM and pharmacy landscapes.
Read more from our coverage of NCPDP 2025.
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