BenefitsPRO – Online Article – November 13, 2025

A new class-action lawsuit in Michigan is drawing national attention to the ongoing fight between independent pharmacies and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs).

Dr. Maisa Hider, owner of Community Care Pharmacy in Garden City, Michigan, filed the lawsuit against GoodRx late last year. She alleges that the company conspired with major PBMs to suppress reimbursement rates for generic drugs, a practice that she says is devastating local pharmacies and limiting patient access to affordable medication.

“Enough Is Enough”: Independent Pharmacies Push Back

During a press conference hosted by the MENA American Chamber of Commerce, Dr. Hider spoke candidly about why she decided to act.

“This movement isn’t one lawsuit — it’s thousands of pharmacies and thousands of pharmacists who can’t take it anymore,” Hider said. “PBMs are profiting off not only the patient and the pharmacy, but the public at large.”

According to Hider, independent pharmacies operate on razor-thin margins and cannot absorb the underpayments that PBMs and discount platforms like GoodRx impose. Larger chains, such as CVS, have the scale to survive; smaller pharmacies often do not.

In Michigan alone, two independent pharmacies close every month — a loss that impacts not only pharmacists, but patients who depend on them for immediate, personal care.

Part of a Larger Pattern Nationwide

Dr. Hider’s lawsuit joins a wave of legal actions filed across the country.
Other plaintiffs — including Keaveny Drug, Old Baltimore Pike Apothecary, and Smith’s Pharmacy — have filed similar suits in Los Angeles and Providence, Rhode Island.

Those cases name major players such as GoodRx Holdings, CVS Caremark, Express Scripts, MedImpact Healthcare Systems, and Navitus Health Solutions — the same entities referenced in Community Care Pharmacy’s complaint.

Together, these lawsuits accuse PBMs of coordinated practices that:

• Inflate drug costs through spread pricing and rebate manipulation

• Steer patients to affiliated or mail-order pharmacies

• Under-reimburse independent pharmacies for generic medications

• Reduce competition and limit patient choice

Growing Regulatory Pressure on PBMs

Regulatory scrutiny of PBMs has been intensifying as their market dominance continues to grow.
A handful of corporations now control the majority of the U.S. prescription market, owning not just PBMs but also insurance carriers and retail pharmacies — a model known as vertical integration.

To counteract this consolidation, several states are moving toward reform:

• Arkansas became the first state to ban PBM-owned pharmacies, though the law is currently under review.

• Indiana, Louisiana, New York, Texas, and Vermont have also introduced or passed similar legislation.

• At the federal level, lawmakers are proposing divestiture requirements to separate PBM ownership from pharmacy operations.

Even national leadership is taking notice. President Trump has signaled interest in revisiting policies that address intermediaries’ influence over drug pricing.

Why This Matters

The outcome of these cases could reshape the pharmacy landscape. If the courts and regulators limit PBM control, independent pharmacies could finally compete on a level playing field — improving access, reducing costs, and restoring fairness to prescription care.

Without reform, however, patients will continue to lose access to community-based care as smaller pharmacies close their doors.

As Dr. Hider emphasized, this isn’t just about profits — it’s about protecting patients and preserving the future of pharmacy.

RescueMeds’ Perspective

At RescueMeds, we stand with independent pharmacists who are fighting for fair reimbursement and patient choice. The PBM model, originally designed to manage costs, has evolved into a system that too often rewards volume over value and corporate ownership over community care.

Every patient deserves transparency, affordability, and timely access to their medications — not delays and denials driven by profit.

RescueMeds remains committed to advocating for reforms that protect both pharmacies and the injured workers, first responders, and families we serve.