CVS, Express Scripts Sue Over Arkansas Law Banning PBM-Owned Pharmacies

The lawsuits argue that the law places an unconstitutional restriction on interstate commerce by burdening out-of-state companies.
CVS, Express Scripts Sue Over Arkansas Law Banning PBM-Owned Pharmacies
The exterior of a CVS pharmacy store in Austin, Texas, on Aug. 7, 2024. Brandon Bell/Getty Images
Rudy Blalock
Updated:
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CVS Health and Express Scripts have filed lawsuits in federal court seeking to overturn an Arkansas state law that will prohibit pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) from owning or operating pharmacies in the state, the companies said in separate lawsuits filed in Little Rock federal court.

The lawsuits, filed Thursday, argue that the law—set to take effect on Jan. 1, 2026— places an unconstitutional restriction on interstate commerce by burdening out-of-state companies.