NGA Statement on Critical Pharmacy Benefit Manager Reforms in House Budget Bill

• January 21, 2026

Washington, D.C. - The National Grocers Association (NGA), the trade association representing the independent supermarket industry, released the following statement on Pharmacy Benefit Manger (PBM) reforms in House Budget Bill:

"The National Grocers Association (NGA) strongly supports the pharmacy benefit manager reforms included in the FY 2026 House appropriations minibus released earlier this week, signifying meaningful progress toward greater transparency, accountability, and fairness in the prescription drug marketplace. These important provisions reflect years of steadfast work by NGA and its partners to address unfair practices that have driven up costs for patients, strained community pharmacies, and obscured the flow of prescription drug dollars through the system.

The legislation's proposed reporting and disclosure requirements will finally shed light on drug pricing, pharmacy reimbursement, formulary decisions, and the role of PBM-affiliated pharmacies, giving plan sponsors and regulators the tools they need to effectively oversee these entities. These reforms will not only strengthen oversight and introduce enforceable transparency but will also begin to rebalance a system that has long favored middlemen at the expense of patients, community pharmacies, and independent supermarkets nationwide.

NGA applauds lawmakers for advancing these commonsense changes and looks forward to continued collaboration to ensure a prescription drug system that is fair, competitive, and focused on delivering value to hardworking Americans everywhere."

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About the National Grocers Association

NGA is the national trade association representing the retail and wholesale community grocers that comprise the independent sector of the food distribution industry. An independent retailer is a privately owned or controlled food retail company operating a variety of formats. The independent grocery sector is accountable for about 1.2 percent of the nation's overall economy and is responsible for generating more than $250 billion in sales, 1.1 million jobs, $39 billion in wages and $36 billion in taxes. NGA members include retail and wholesale grocers located in every congressional district across the country, as well as state grocers' associations, manufacturers and service suppliers. For more information about NGA, visit www.nationalgrocers.org.