FTC settles lawsuit with CVS Caremark over charges it manipulated insulin prices, impeded access

The Federal Trade Commission reached a settlement with CVS Caremark, Cigna's pharmacy benefit manager, resolving a lawsuit alleging the PBM used its market power to manipulate insulin pricing and restrict patient access to cheaper alternatives. The FTC had accused Caremark of steering patients to more expensive insulin products, raising costs for payers and patients while securing higher rebates for itself. This settlement is part of the FTC's ongoing campaign against PBM business practices it deems anticompetitive. The action underscores continued regulatory scrutiny of the PBM industry and its role in drug pricing, which affects employer-sponsored and individual market plans.