Who Killed the Corner Drug Store? In One Ruby Red State, PBMs Are Under Fire

By Wendell Potter - Ginger Barron, an independent pharmacist in Gadsden, Ala., spent years jumping through all kinds of hoops to convert what was once a medical clinic for thousands of workers at a now-shuttered Goodyear tire factory into a standalone drug store serving her struggling community. Read Full Article… 

HVBA Article Summary

1. Independent pharmacies are being squeezed by PBM practices: A wave of closures among independent pharmacies in Alabama – three per month on average – reflects the financial pressure caused by pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), who reimburse less than the cost of prescriptions and prevent pharmacists from disclosing pricing issues to patients. This monopolistic system, dominated by three major PBMs owned by health care giants, is undermining small-town access to care and threatening the survival of community pharmacies like Barron’s Cornerstone.

2. Pharmacists are pushing for legislative reform to stay afloat: In response, Alabama pharmacists launched a one-day walkout and other awareness efforts to support Senate Bill 99, which would require fair dispensing fees and prohibit PBM gag clauses. The bill has seen rare bipartisan momentum in the state legislature, reflecting growing public concern about pharmacy closures and their effects on rural healthcare access.

3. The fight is deeply personal for pharmacists and their communities: Pharmacists like Barron are not only healthcare providers but lifelines to vulnerable populations, including patients with diabetes, in hospice care, or managing opioid addiction. Their local ties, trust with patients, and hands-on care contrast sharply with the impersonal nature of corporate pharmacy chains, making their survival critical to community health infrastructure.

Trump's trade war: Prescription drugs become a target

By Maggie Fick - U.S. President Donald Trump late on Tuesday reiterated he would impose tariffs on imports of pharmaceutical products that have long been spared from past trade disputes due to the potential for harm to patients. Trump excluded them from his announcement of sweeping import tariffs last week, but in recent weeks he introduced tariffs on raw ingredients and supplies from China that are used by the industry, and has repeatedly singled out the manufacturing of drugs in Europe as a problem he intends to tackle through a tariffs announcement. Read Full Article… 

HVBA Article Summary

1. Trump's Push for U.S. Drug Manufacturing and Pricing Reform: Trump has called for major pharmaceutical companies to produce more medicines domestically, citing overreliance on foreign manufacturing, particularly in China, India, and low-tax countries like Ireland. He has also criticized U.S. drug prices as being higher than in other wealthy nations and supports tariffs as a way to pressure companies to shift production and lower domestic costs.

2. Pharma Industry Urges Gradual Tariff Implementation: Drugmakers and industry groups have lobbied for a phased rollout of any new tariffs, citing high costs and long timelines—up to $2 billion and 10 years—to build compliant manufacturing plants in the U.S. Some companies are already stockpiling drugs from Europe and boosting domestic production, but warn that immediate tariffs could disrupt supply chains and lead to medicine shortages.

3. Uncertain Timeline and Risk of Drug Shortages: Trump's proposed pharmaceutical tariffs are tied to a Section 232 national security investigation that could take up to 270 days to complete. While he has promised an announcement “very shortly,” recent shifts in his broader trade stance have added uncertainty. Experts warn that tariffs could lead to shortages of affordable generics and constrain R&D investments by reducing margins on high-cost brand-name drugs.

CDC's Population Health Office Is Gone

By Kristina Flore - The CDC's Division of Population Health was eliminated in its entirety in the Trump administration's mass layoffs at HHS, with the exception of one of its data-gathering operations. The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) was spared, sources told MedPage. Read Full Article…

HVBA Article Summary

1. Key public health programs eliminated or reduced: The CDC has significantly downsized a division within the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, cutting initiatives like the Alzheimer's disease program authorized under the BOLD Act, the PLACES hyper-local data tracking project, and programs targeting arthritis and chronic disease in Tribal communities—despite bipartisan support and prior federal funding.

2. Only select initiatives preserved: The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), a vital health survey conducting over 400,000 interviews annually, will continue, but its administrative oversight has shifted. Other programs like Healthy Tribes may relocate, but most efforts tied to prevention, early detection, and community-level support are being halted or reassigned without clarity on future management.

3. Layoffs and strategic concerns raised: An estimated 60 staff were laid off, and critics argue that dismantling prevention-focused efforts contradicts long-term goals of reducing chronic disease burden and healthcare costs. Experts warn this move undermines Medicare and Medicaid cost-containment strategies and leaves vulnerable populations without crucial support.

Employees ignoring $3 trillion in benefits, report reveals

By Kristen Smithberg - Despite a hefty spend of roughly $3 trillion on employee benefits, many programs are underused and undervalued by employees, according to Nayya’s 2025 Benefits Value Gap Report. The report called the current benefits system a ‘massive financial waste’ built on broken incentives and obsolete design and said without modernizing the entire process, that investment may be doing more harm than good. Read Full Article… ^{_{(Subscription required)}}

HVBA Article Summary

1. Employees Remain Disengaged with Benefits Despite Major Life Changes: Nearly 75% of employees keep the same benefits year after year, even after significant life events like health diagnoses or salary shifts. Only 14% actively explore new options, leading many to miss out on potential savings and protection.

2. Low Perceived Value and Understanding Undermine Employers’ Investments: Employers spend an average of $16,500 per employee on health benefits, yet 25% of workers think those benefits are worth less than $1,000. Just 10% fully understand their benefits, and nearly half can’t explain key offerings like HSAs, FSAs, or 401(k)s.

3. Personalization and Simplicity Are Key to Fixing a Broken System: The current benefits system is seen as overly complex and inefficient. Nayya recommends a data-driven, personalized approach to boost employee satisfaction, reduce administrative costs, and improve utilization—without the need for drastic benefits changes.

Lawmaker Stumps for Long-Term Care Program Bill

By Allison Bell - Rep. Tom Suozzi held a conference in Washington earlier this week to promote the new version of the Well-Being Insurance for Seniors to be At Home Act. The bill would create a new public long-term care insurance program for people who exhaust private savings and private insurance after needing long-term care services for a long time. Read Full Article…

HVBA Article Summary

1. Bipartisan but Unlikely to Advance: Rep. Tom Suozzi reintroduced the WISH Act with limited bipartisan support, facing steep challenges amid congressional gridlock and budget concerns. A previous version of the bill failed in committee in 2021.

2. Aiming to Ease Medicaid Strain: Suozzi argues that by helping middle-class seniors prepare for long-term care costs, the bill could reduce Medicaid nursing home spending and prevent older adults from exhausting their savings and becoming reliant on public assistance.

3. Proposed Program Structure: The bill proposes a federal program offering around $4,000 per month for long-term care, with a one- to five-year elimination period based on income. It’s designed to complement private long-term care insurance, encouraging individuals to cover the initial gap while supporting insurers with a more manageable product to offer.

Transparency revolution: Executive order demands actual prices, not estimates

By Christine Cooper - Escalating health care costs remain one of the most pressing challenges for employers and self-insured plans offering health benefits. Lack of pricing clarity fuels rising expenses, billing disputes and strained budgets. The recent Healthcare Price Transparency Executive Order seeks to address these issues by mandating that hospitals and insurers disclose actual health care prices—not estimates—with standardized, enforceable reporting. Read Full Article… ^{_{(Subscription required)}}

HVBA Article Summary

1. Improved Cost Management and Negotiation Power: The Executive Order mandates standardized, itemized price disclosures from hospitals and insurers, giving employers unprecedented visibility into negotiated rates. This transparency allows plan sponsors to identify inflated fees, benchmark costs, and negotiate better deals—turning healthcare costs from opaque, fixed expenses into manageable, strategic spending.

2. Long-Term Sustainability and Cost Reduction: Transparent pricing enables employers to curb rising healthcare expenses without cutting benefits or raising employee costs. By avoiding unnecessary overpayments and leveraging competitive pricing data, self-funded plans can reduce volatility in spending, allocate savings toward wages or reinvestment, and create a more financially sustainable benefits structure.

3. Enhanced Employee Engagement and Experience: With access to upfront, standardized pricing tools, employees can make informed care decisions and better anticipate out-of-pocket costs—especially valuable for those in high-deductible plans or using HSAs. This visibility reduces surprise bills, boosts trust in benefits, and supports a more consumer-driven approach to healthcare.

Dental, vision and skin? A look at this new health benefit

By Deanna Cuadra - Benefit managers continue to try to solve the formula for holistic health benefits. But are they forgetting a huge part of the equation? Skin is the largest organ in the human body, and yet it's often not a priority when it comes to preventative care. According to the Prevent Cancer Foundation, 70% of American adults have not had their skin checked for cancer in the past year, and 24% have never had their skin checked in their entire lives. Read Full Article… ^{_{(Subscription required)}}

HVBA Article Summary

1. Skin cancer prevention and access to dermatology care: Skin cancer affects 1 in 5 Americans, yet high deductibles and confusion about coverage often prevent people from getting early screenings. JOYA Health aims to make skin checks routine and accessible by offering employer-sponsored benefits that include skin cancer screenings as part of a broader skin health package.

2. JOYA Health promotes skin care as essential healthcare: Modeled after dental and vision benefits, JOYA provides over $1,000 in annual value, including access to dermatologists, cosmetic treatments, and preventative services like facials and medical-grade sunscreen—helping employees proactively manage skin issues and improve well-being.

3. Growing employee demand for skin health benefits: A JOYA survey found that 70% of consumers believe skin health is just as important as dental and vision care. Founder Michael Jafar urges benefits leaders to evaluate whether current offerings adequately support skin health, which directly influences employees’ confidence, mood, and overall wellness.