Senate Committee hears testimony on TRICARE Pharmacy Program

August 11, 2026

EGWP Medicare

On July 15, the Senate Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee (SASC) held a hearing on the TRICARE Pharmacy Program, continuing Congressional scrutiny of the program’s pharmacy benefit structure and the Department of Defense’s oversight of its pharmacy contract. Witnesses included Defense Health Agency leadership, Express Scripts and Evernorth Care Management President Adam Kautzner, and independent pharmacy representatives.

The hearing focused on pharmacy access, reimbursement, network design, and concerns raised by some lawmakers and pharmacy stakeholders regarding TRICARE pricing and affiliated pharmacy arrangements. Opposition arguments gained little traction, and Adam Kautzner and Rear Admiral (Dr.) David Smith strongly reinforced the program’s value to military families and taxpayers and successfully countered efforts to portray Express Scripts as acting in its own interests. You can read Kautzner’s written testimony here.

Initiatives

Calls grow for Drug Patent reform

In a recent blog post, the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) highlighted increased attention to pharmaceutical companies’ abuse of drug patents. Last month, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled in favor of a generic drugmaker in a “skinny labeling” case, a victory for patients. Skinny labels allow generic and biosimilar competitors to launch products for non-patented indications, helping accelerate […]
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August 11, 2026

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perspectives

AHIP calls for Bipartisan reform to address health care cost drivers

On July 23, AHIP President and CEO Mike Tuffin wrote an opinion piece in The New York Times saying, “common-sense bipartisan reforms are needed to promote competition in care delivery and prescription drugs, protect consumers from providers and drugmakers’ anticompetitive practices and transition away from the perverse incentives of fee-for-service medicine.” Tuffin notes that health […]
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August 11, 2026

EGWP marketplace medicaid Medicare

Solutions

PCMA urges preserving patient access and flexibility in new fertility benefits rule

PCMA recently submitted comments to HHS, DOL, and the Treasury (the Departments) in response to the proposed rule establishing a new category of limited excepted benefits for fertility services. PCMA supports the Departments’ goal of expanding access to fertility care while encouraging employer innovation but urged several targeted refinements to ensure the framework is operationally […]
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August 11, 2026

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