Prescription Drug Clawbacks Under Fire From Lawmakers, Lawyers

By Jacklyn Wille

A controversial health insurance practice that critics say ratchets up the cost of prescription drugs may be on the chopping block as it gains more attention from attorneys, academics, and lawmakers.

A flurry of lawsuits over prescription drug “clawbacks” filled federal court dockets in recent years, with cases targeting UnitedHealth, Cigna, Humana, and OptumRX. A recent legal victory in the case against Cigna could force the insurer to disclose information about its alleged clawback practices, which could chip away at the lack of transparency that critics say allows the practice to proliferate. The March 12 court ruling ...