Congressman Greg Murphy, M.D., has used his social media platform to highlight recent legislative activities and concerns about healthcare policy. In a series of posts on July 24 and 25, Murphy provided updates on congressional events and addressed issues related to pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and healthcare consolidation.
On July 24, Murphy shared a summary of the week’s congressional activities: “A busy week in the office! Hear what happened in Congress in this week’s, Week-In-Review.”
The following day, he criticized the role of PBMs in drug pricing: “Patients shouldn’t be blocked by PBMs from accessing cheaper, more effective drugs.” PBMs act as intermediaries between insurers, pharmacies, and drug manufacturers. Their practices have been scrutinized for potentially limiting patient access to affordable medications and contributing to higher out-of-pocket costs.
Later on July 25, Murphy addressed the impact of healthcare consolidation: “The rise in consolidation leads to higher healthcare costs. Due to Medicare cuts physicians have been driven into employment. Unfortunately, as pointed out here, costs to the system increase, rather than decrease, with physician employment.” Recent studies indicate that increased consolidation among healthcare providers can result in less competition and higher prices for consumers.
Murphy serves as a U.S. Congressman representing North Carolina’s 3rd District and is also a practicing physician. His commentary reflects ongoing debates within Congress regarding prescription drug affordability and the structure of the U.S. healthcare system.
