NORFOLK - As a veteran and former state senator, I don’t disagree with the need to regulate pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) or the goal of reducing prescription drug costs for consumers — especially for veterans. But Arkansas’s new law, Act 624, is the wrong way to go about it. Nebraska legislators shouldn’t follow their lead for the upcoming session.

The Arkansas law bans PBMs from owning or operating pharmacies in the state. On the surface, that might sound like a good idea — curbing corporate power and helping local pharmacies. In reality, it goes too far. If implemented, the law would eliminate vital services, increase drug prices, and make it harder — especially for rural residents and veterans — to get the medications they need. It’s a classic case of “be careful what you wish for.”

PBMs manage drug benefits, negotiate prices, and offer services such as home delivery. Millions of Americans — including tens of thousands of veterans — depend on them. By prohibiting PBMs from owning pharmacies, Arkansas is effectively forcing large, integrated providers out of the state. More than 100 pharmacy locations in Arkansas are at risk of closure, leaving numerous patients scrambling to find alternative options.

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