John E Deaton
John E Deaton|Oct 30, 2025 20:43
What we need to do is take a page from Teddy Roosevelt and come up with a New Square Deal strategy. Roosevelt broke up the oil trusts and railroad barons who were strangling the American economy. Some argue he saved capitalism. Today, we face a new set of monopolists - 3 PBMs who hold our healthcare system hostage. As Mark Cuban points out: “3 vertically integrated insurance companies control 90 pct of every insurance and provider market.” Think about that? That is NOT free market capitalism! It’s time for a new Square Deal to bring FAIR PLAY for patients, ACCOUNTABILITY for corporations, and TRANSPARENCY for every dollar spent. It’s not an easy fix but it’s not 🚀 science to figure out. Here’s a plan: 1. We start by breaking up the Big Three PBMs. Three companies - CVS Caremark, Express Scripts, and OptumRx - control over 80% of the prescription drug market. That’s a stranglehold on America’s medicine cabinet. We use existing antitrust laws to dismantle their monopolies and restore real competition. 2. Ban Secret Rebates & Kickbacks. Behind closed doors, PBMs and drugmakers cut sweetheart deals that inflate consumer costs. We outlaw hidden rebates and force 100% of savings to go straight to patients at the counter. 3. Let Medicare Negotiate ALL Drug Prices. Why should Americans pay 5–10 times more for the same drug than Canadians or Europeans? Medicare will negotiate directly with drugmakers - not just for a few medicines, but for EVERY prescription. 4. Enforce TOTAL PRICE TRANSPARENCY. Every hospital, insurer, PBM, and pharma company will post real, UPFRONT prices - no more hidden fees, no more surprise bills, no more gag clauses stopping pharmacists from helping patients save money. 5. Transparency regarding a cash payment for the treatment or service versus going through insurance. 6. Protect Independent Pharmacies & Patients. Stop PBMs from undercutting community pharmacies and forcing patients into corporate-owned mail-order systems. Patients deserve choice, fairness, and accountability. The government partners with a few private companies like Cuban’s @costplusdrugs which tells you the exact cost of the drug and sales it at a 15% markup.(John E Deaton)
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