By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Watch LIVE
Listen LIVE
SuperTalk Mississippi st logo
  • Tune In
    • Listen Live
    • Watch Live
    • Network Schedule
    • On Demand
    • Podcasts
    • Video Center
    • Connect
  • Stations
    • News/Talk
    • Music
  • Shows
    • Mornings with Richard Cross
    • MidDays with Gerard Gibert
    • Good Things with Rebecca Turner
    • SportsTalk Mississippi
    • In A Mississippi Minute with Steve Azar
    • SuperTalk Outdoors with Ricky Mathews
    • The Ricky Mathews Show
    • The Garden Mama Show
    • The Handyman Show
    • Thunder & Lightning
    • Eagle Hour
    • The Richard Schwartz Show
    • The Lars Larson Show
    • America at Night with Rich Valde
    • Coast to Coast with George Noory
    • Americas Roundtable
    • Crusader Talk
    • The Guy Benson Show
    • Fox Across America with Jimmy Failla
    • Element Wealth
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Featured News
    • Politics
    • Lifestyle
    • Crime
    • Opinion
    • Agrinews
  • Sports
    • Mississippi State
    • Ole Miss
    • Southern Miss
    • Jackson State
    • High School
    • More Schools
  • Weather
  • Networks
  • About
    • Our Story
    • Our Staff
    • Public Files
    • Contests
    • Affiliates
    • Jobs
  • Advertise
  • Contact
Reading: Mississippi House takes aim at pharmacy benefit managers with transparency bill
Watch LIVE
Listen LIVE
SuperTalk Mississippi st logo
  • Tune In
    • Listen Live
    • Watch Live
    • Network Schedule
    • On Demand
    • Podcasts
    • Video Center
    • Connect
  • Stations
    • News/Talk
    • Music
  • Shows
    • Mornings with Richard Cross
    • MidDays with Gerard Gibert
    • Good Things with Rebecca Turner
    • SportsTalk Mississippi
    • In A Mississippi Minute with Steve Azar
    • SuperTalk Outdoors with Ricky Mathews
    • The Ricky Mathews Show
    • The Garden Mama Show
    • The Handyman Show
    • Thunder & Lightning
    • Eagle Hour
    • The Richard Schwartz Show
    • The Lars Larson Show
    • America at Night with Rich Valde
    • Coast to Coast with George Noory
    • Americas Roundtable
    • Crusader Talk
    • The Guy Benson Show
    • Fox Across America with Jimmy Failla
    • Element Wealth
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Featured News
    • Politics
    • Lifestyle
    • Crime
    • Opinion
    • Agrinews
  • Sports
    • Mississippi State
    • Ole Miss
    • Southern Miss
    • Jackson State
    • High School
    • More Schools
  • Weather
  • Networks
  • About
    • Our Story
    • Our Staff
    • Public Files
    • Contests
    • Affiliates
    • Jobs
  • Advertise
  • Contact
Reading: Mississippi House takes aim at pharmacy benefit managers with transparency bill
Search
  • Tune In
    • Listen Live
    • Watch Live
    • Network Schedule
    • On Demand
    • Podcasts
    • Video Center
    • Connect
  • Stations
    • News/Talk
    • Music
  • Shows
    • Mornings with Richard Cross
    • MidDays with Gerard Gibert
    • Good Things with Rebecca Turner
    • SportsTalk Mississippi
    • In A Mississippi Minute with Steve Azar
    • SuperTalk Outdoors with Ricky Mathews
    • The Ricky Mathews Show
    • The Garden Mama Show
    • The Handyman Show
    • Thunder & Lightning
    • Eagle Hour
    • The Richard Schwartz Show
    • The Lars Larson Show
    • America at Night with Rich Valde
    • Coast to Coast with George Noory
    • Americas Roundtable
    • Crusader Talk
    • The Guy Benson Show
    • Fox Across America with Jimmy Failla
    • Element Wealth
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Featured News
    • Politics
    • Lifestyle
    • Crime
    • Opinion
    • Agrinews
  • Sports
    • Mississippi State
    • Ole Miss
    • Southern Miss
    • Jackson State
    • High School
    • More Schools
  • Weather
  • Networks
  • About
    • Our Story
    • Our Staff
    • Public Files
    • Contests
    • Affiliates
    • Jobs
  • Advertise
  • Contact
Follow US
Featured NewsLatest NewsPolitics

Mississippi House takes aim at pharmacy benefit managers with transparency bill

J.T. Mitchell
By J.T. Mitchell January 24, 2025
Share
4 Min Read
Photo from Getty Images
SHARE

The Mississippi House of Representatives passed legislation to prohibit “spread pricing,” the term used to describe when a pharmacy benefit manager hikes the price of prescription drugs when charging health plans or insurance companies.

While pharmacy benefit managers, serving as middlemen between drug manufacturers and insurance companies, use the practice of charging higher rates than what they pay the pharmacy for ingredient costs and to dispense drugs as a way to make a profit, critics of spread pricing argue it leads to higher drug costs for patients since extra dollars are being doled out by insurers. Lawmakers, for the most part, agreed on legislation Thursday to provide transparency into the process.

House Bill 1123, authored by Republican House Speaker Jason White, would implement several regulations aimed at increasing transparency and oversight in drug pricing and pharmacy benefit management. It would not only do away with spread pricing, but it would also require pharmacy benefit managers and drug manufacturers to submit detailed reports to the Mississippi Board of Pharmacy. The Board of Pharmacy would be allowed to subpoena pharmacy benefit managers and other related individuals or entities during audits. If noncompliance is discovered, those subpoenaed would be forced to pay for the audit.

Additionally, the Board of Pharmacy would have the authority to impose monetary penalties ranging from $1,000 to $25,000 on those engaging in spread pricing.

“We’re going to be on the forefront of transparency and sunshine as it relates to drug pricing and how much rebate money these aggregators are keeping,” Republican Rep. Hank Zuber said when presenting the bill on behalf of the speaker.

Even with an eventual 88-8 vote in favor of the legislation, some concerns were raised over a perceived lack of protection for independent pharmacists. While pharmacists are reliant on pharmacy benefit managers to work with insurers, inadequate reimbursements and excessive fees have been blamed for some across the state closing their doors.

Rep. Stacey Hobgood Wilkes, a Republican who did not vote in favor of the bill and has filed an opposing yet similar piece of legislation, believes a priority for lawmakers needs to be changing the way pharmacies are reimbursed. Her bill would implement a standardized pricing model for prescription drugs based on national prices, a metric change urged by the Mississippi Independent Pharmacies Association and killed by lawmakers in years past.

“The Independent Pharmacies Association, on behalf of their pharmacists, have stated that their pharmacy organization does not support this bill,” Hobgood-Wilkes said during the floor debate. “They’re saying it’s not going to do a whole lot to help them.”

Hobgood-Wilkes said that she received a statement from the Board of Pharmacy prior to the vote, and while the board is not as concerned with a pricing model change, it has reservations over what resources will be available to collect the data intended to create transparency. She added that the board would like more authority over pharmacy benefit managers, but did not go into detail on what that would look like.

The Board of Pharmacy has not released its full statement referenced by Hobgood-Wilkes.

Hobgood-Wilkes and others’ concerns aside, Zuber asserted that the approved bill is a “good step” in protecting customers and pharmacies from spread pricing. The legislation will soon be shipped to the Senate, where it will be considered in committee before potentially heading to the floor for a full vote.

Copyright 2025 SuperTalk Mississippi Media. All rights reserved.

Featured NewsLatest NewsPolitics

Stay informed.

Get the latest breaking news delivered straight to your inbox.

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Share This Article
Facebook Twitter Email Copy Link Print
jtmitchell
By J.T. Mitchell
Follow:
J.T. Mitchell has served as news director for SuperTalk Mississippi Media since 2021, overseeing the on-air and online product for SuperTalk Mississippi News. The statewide news network airs objective, hourly reports on nearly 50 talk, music, and affiliate stations. J.T. is a proud graduate of Sewanee: The University of the South. For inquiries or story tips, email [email protected].

Stay Connected

19kFollowersLike
12.3kFollowersFollow

Latest News

Elon Musk departs from Trump administration after leading effort to slash federal government
May 28, 2025
Sen. David Jordan, veteran Mississippi lawmaker of more than three decades, announces retirement
May 28, 2025
Sonya Williams Barnes
Gulfport mayoral candidate accused of buying votes ahead of Tuesday’s election
May 28, 2025
SEC
SEC’s spring meetings: The future of college sports is in the balance
May 28, 2025
Ryan Coogler bringing ‘Sinners’ to Clarksdale after community invitation 
May 28, 2025

Always Stay Up to Date

Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!

News / Talk Stations

  • Corinth :: 94.3
  • Delta :: 96.9
  • Golden Triangle :: 100.9
  • Hattiesburg :: 97.3
  • Jackson :: 97.3
  • Laurel :: 99.3
  • Meridian :: 103.3
  • MS Gulf Coast :: 103.1
  • North MS :: 93.7
  • Pike County :: 93.5
  • Southwest MS :: 102.1
  • Tupelo :: 101.9
  • Corinth :: 94.3
  • Delta :: 96.9
  • Golden Triangle :: 100.9
  • Hattiesburg :: 97.3
  • Jackson :: 97.3
  • Laurel :: 99.3
  • Meridian :: 103.3
  • MS Gulf Coast :: 103.1
  • North MS :: 93.7
  • Pike County :: 93.5
  • Southwest MS :: 102.1
  • Tupelo :: 101.9

Music Stations

  • 92.9 Corinth’s Best Country
  • Mix 95.9
  • Q105
  • Max 99
  • Lazer 96.1
  • G-92.9
  • G-103.3 The Delta
  • 97.9 CPR Rocks
  • 105.9 The Monkey
  • G-96.7 Gulf Coast
  • 92.9 Corinth’s Best Country
  • Mix 95.9
  • Q105
  • Max 99
  • Lazer 96.1
  • G-92.9
  • G-103.3 The Delta
  • 97.9 CPR Rocks
  • 105.9 The Monkey
  • G-96.7 Gulf Coast

Shows

  • Mornings with Richard Cross
  • MidDays with Gerard Gibert
  • Good Things with Rebecca Turner
  • SportsTalk Mississippi
  • In A Mississippi Minute with Steve Azar
  • Outdoors with Ricky Mathews
  • The Ricky Mathews Show
  • The Garden Mama
  • The Handyman Show
  • Thunder & Lightning
  • Eagle Hour
  • Richard Schwartz Legal Power Hour
  • The Lars Larson Show
  • America at Night with Rich Valdez
  • Coast to Coast with George Noory
  • Americas Roundtable
  • Crusader Talk
  • The Guy Benson Show
  • Fox Across America with Jimmy Fallia
  • Element Wealth
  • Mornings with Richard Cross
  • MidDays with Gerard Gibert
  • Good Things with Rebecca Turner
  • SportsTalk Mississippi
  • In A Mississippi Minute with Steve Azar
  • Outdoors with Ricky Mathews
  • The Ricky Mathews Show
  • The Garden Mama
  • The Handyman Show
  • Thunder & Lightning
  • Eagle Hour
  • Richard Schwartz Legal Power Hour
  • The Lars Larson Show
  • America at Night with Rich Valdez
  • Coast to Coast with George Noory
  • Americas Roundtable
  • Crusader Talk
  • The Guy Benson Show
  • Fox Across America with Jimmy Fallia
  • Element Wealth

News

  • Latest News
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Agriculture
  • Lifestyle
  • Opinion
  • Latest News
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Agriculture
  • Lifestyle
  • Opinion

About

  • Our Story
  • Our Staff
  • Public Files
  • Advertise
  • Networks
  • Connect
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Our Story
  • Our Staff
  • Public Files
  • Advertise
  • Networks
  • Connect
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
ST logo

SuperTalk Mississippi Media is Mississippi’s leader in news, politics, sports, music, and all things Mississippi. With four statewide radio networks, 12 talk stations, 16 music stations, SuperTalk TV, and over 50 affiliates, SuperTalk Mississippi Media covers every inch of the state.

Contact us: [email protected]
nab
© 2020 - 2025 SuperTalk Mississippi Media. All Rights Reserved.
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?