Statement
January 22, 2026
Putting Patients First: New Reforms Give Patients Their Money, Their Prices, and More Options
Washington, D.C.—Today, Hannah Anderson, Director of Healthy America Policy and Senior Director of Policy at the America First Policy Institute (AFPI), issued the following statement in response to congressional passage of a government funding package that includes pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) reforms:
“This legislation takes an important step towards putting patients—not middlemen—in charge of their healthcare dollars and decisions. For too long, patients have been forced to navigate a system where costs are hidden, competition is distorted, and intermediaries profit. Meanwhile, as PBMs operate in the shadows, the patient has no idea how much of a cut middlemen are receiving from their medication, or that another nearby pharmacy may offer a lower-cost option.