October 29, 2026
The Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) highlighted two new reports on the potential impacts of forced pharmacy closure proposals. Several states and Congress have considered proposals that would prohibit PBMs from owning pharmacies. A new report from the Goldwater Institute warns that these types of proposals could worsen pharmacy deserts, reduce access to care, and create unintended consequences for patients. Goldwater researchers noted, “A sweeping ownership ban… is a blunt instrument. As we have seen in states such as Arkansas and Tennessee, such bans can create legal uncertainty, disrupt pharmacy operations, and lead to pharmacy closures for patients who already have the fewest options.” A better path, they argue, is for lawmakers to promote policies that“make care more available, not harder to reach.”
A new analysis from Americans for Tax Reform (ATR) on the Tennessee forced pharmacy closure law found that: “Tennessee’s formal fiscal analysis… identifies possible higher drug-acquisition, dispensing, network, and administrative costs alongside potential savings from reducing noncompetitive practices. It concludes that the net fiscal impact cannot yet be reasonably determined.That uncertainty should matter to policymakers considering similar ownership mandates.” They urge lawmakers “to protect competition, not competitors.”
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