Lawmakers Work to Lower Prescription Drug Prices

Bipartisan efforts aim to address high drug costs and PBM reform

Feb. 4, 2026 at 7:15pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Lawmakers in both the House and Senate are working to tackle the high cost of prescription drugs, focusing on reforming the practices of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) who have been accused of driving up drug prices. While Republicans have pushed for PBM reform, Democrats are taking a broader approach to address drug pricing from both the manufacturer and consumer ends.

Why it matters

Prescription drug affordability has become a top issue for Americans, with many struggling to pay for necessary medications. Lawmakers hope that addressing PBM business practices and overall drug pricing can provide relief to patients facing high out-of-pocket costs.

The details

A rule added to the recent appropriations package aims to sever the tie between PBM income and the cost of prescription drugs, which critics say has incentivized higher prices. Republicans like Sen. Marsha Blackburn and Rep. Earl 'Buddy' Carter have championed this PBM reform as a 'win for healthcare.' Meanwhile, Senate Democrats want to go further by tackling drug pricing from the manufacturer side as well, outlining efforts to change how much pharmaceutical companies charge in the first place.

  • On February 4, 2026, President Trump signed the 2026 appropriations package into law, launching reforms targeting PBM business practices.
  • On February 4, 2026, a bipartisan group of lawmakers celebrated the progress made on PBM reform and promised future legislation.

The players

Sen. Marsha Blackburn

A Republican senator from Tennessee who has been vocal about the need to reform PBM practices that have 'narrowed the options and increased the cost' of prescription drugs.

Rep. Earl 'Buddy' Carter

A Republican congressman from Georgia who has praised the PBM reforms in the appropriations package as 'a win for healthcare' and 'big.'

Sen. Ruben Gallego

A Democratic senator from Arizona who has criticized the current system where 'Big Pharma gets richer off the backs of a grandmother struggling to pay for cancer medication.'

Sen. Peter Welch

A Democratic senator from Vermont who has expressed a willingness to pursue 'anything that works' to lower drug prices.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“What they have done is to narrow the options and increase the cost.”

— Sen. Marsha Blackburn, Republican Senator from Tennessee (wsmv.com)

“It was a win for healthcare. This is big.”

— Rep. Earl 'Buddy' Carter, Republican Congressman from Georgia (wsmv.com)

“When Big Pharma gets richer off the backs of a grandmother struggling to pay for cancer medication, that system is broken.”

— Sen. Ruben Gallego, Democratic Senator from Arizona (wsmv.com)

“Anything that works, we're ready to do it.”

— Sen. Peter Welch, Democratic Senator from Vermont (wsmv.com)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

Prescription drug affordability has become a pressing issue, and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are working to address the problem from multiple angles, including reforming PBM practices and tackling high drug prices set by manufacturers. These bipartisan efforts aim to provide relief to patients struggling with the high cost of necessary medications.