The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has highlighted significant concerns regarding consolidating pharmacies and health insurance companies, focusing on the influence of a few dominant pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) on prescription drug prices. An interim report suggests that these PBMs have amassed considerable profits at the expense of independent pharmacies and consumers. The interim staff report, part of an ongoing inquiry launched in 2022 by the FTC, details how increasing vertical integration and concentration has enabled the six largest PBMs to manage nearly 95% of all prescriptions filled in the U.S. Related: UnitedHealth’s OptumRx Unveils New Transparent Drug Pricing Initiative for 2024. The FTC’s report reveals that the three largest PBMs—UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE:UNH) through its Optum unit, CVS Health ...