U.S. Representative Evans on PBMs: 'Pharmacy Benefit Managers — the middlemen between insurers and providers — have driven up drug costs for years'

Gabe Evans, U.S. Representative for Colorado's 8th Congressional District, said on Feb. 23, 2026, that pharmacy benefit managers have inflated prescription drug costs and that House Republicans advanced what he calls the largest PBM reform in U.S. history to help lower medication prices.

The issue of rising prescription drug costs has drawn national attention as lawmakers seek to address affordability for patients. Pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) play a significant role in determining how much consumers pay at the pharmacy counter.

"Pharmacy Benefit Managers — the middlemen between insurers and providers — have driven up drug costs for years... House GOP just secured the largest PBM reform in U.S. history, helping to reverse skyrocketing prices for medications," Evans said according to his social media statement.

According to National Law Review, Congress passed, and the president signed on Feb. 3, 2026, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, which included a wide-ranging PBM reform package affecting Medicare Part D and PBM compensation practices, aiming to increase transparency and change how PBMs get paid. The Federal Trade Commission’s interim report finds that heavy consolidation and vertical integration let a few PBMs "profit at the expense of patients" by inflating costs and squeezing independent pharmacies. The agency highlights steering to affiliated pharmacies and opaque fees that can raise patient costs—evidence that oversight to date hasn’t realigned incentives to benefit consumers.

KFF’s PBM explainer notes that the recently enacted PBM reform legislation is projected to reduce the federal deficit by $2.1 billion over 10 years, based on Congressional Budget Office estimates. The brief frames this as a federal budget impact tied to changing PBM business practices (including transparency and payment-related reforms) alongside broader efforts to rein in drug spending.

Rep. Gabe Evans is serving his first term representing Colorado’s 8th Congressional District, per his official House website. Colorado’s 8th is widely seen as a competitive swing seat, centered in the northern Denver suburbs in Adams County and stretching north toward Greeley in Weld County, according to Colorado Public Radio’s district overview.