By Raquel Mitchell, Deputy Director, Moms for America Action, Guest Columnist
Imagine finding out your child needs medication, only to realize it’s harder, slower, or more expensive to get than it used to be.
That’s the kind of real-life impact Tennessee lawmakers are risking right now with SB 2040 and HB 1959, bills that could change how families across the Volunteer State access prescription drugs.
These bills would require companies that operate both pharmacies and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to split apart their businesses. Supporters say it’s about lowering drug prices.
But for many Tennessee families, the more likely result is fewer choices, less convenience, and higher costs.
Right now, families across our state rely on a mix of options to get the medications they need. That might mean stopping at a local pharmacy on the way home, visiting a national chain with extended hours, or using mail-order delivery to ensure prescriptions arrive on time.
Each option serves a purpose.
For a parent managing a busy schedule, convenience matters. For a senior on multiple medications, consistency matters. For families in rural areas, closeness matters.
These proposals put that balance at risk.
By forcing certain providers to restructure or leave parts of the market, the state would be reducing competition; the very thing that helps keep prices down and services accessible. When options shrink, families are often left paying more and working harder just to get the care they need.
That could mean longer drives to fill a prescription, delays when a child is sick, or fewer affordable ways to manage chronic conditions.
Those aren’t policy talking points. They’re real-life challenges.
And they raise a bigger question: Who should decide how this system works, families and patients, or the government?
Tennessee has always valued independence, hard work, and the freedom to make choices that are best for our families. We expect businesses to compete fairly and earn our trust by serving us well, not by seeking political favor.
When government steps in to decide which business models are allowed to operate and which aren’t, it changes that equation.
It’s no longer about who serves families best. It becomes about who has the most influence.
That’s a line we should be careful not to cross.
Supporters of these bills argue they are trying to address high drug prices. That’s a goal everyone shares. But limiting competition and allowing the government to dictate business models rarely leads to lower costs. More often than not, it leads to fewer options and higher prices over time.
HB 1959 and SB 2040 are also a slap at President Trump’s effort at drug price affordability, TrumpRx. This system is designed to work through the same PBMs and pharmacies that Tennessee legislators are proposing to break up. This puts every legislator voting in favor at risk of not only contravening President Trump but letting down every Tennessean who is concerned about paying for their medicines.
Tennessee families deserve better than a system where the rules shift in ways that make life harder.
We deserve a system that:
• gives families real choices
• keeps costs manageable
• makes it easier to care for the people we love
Because at the end of the day, this isn’t about politics. It’s about whether a mom can get medicine for her child without delay.Whether a senior can manage their prescriptions without added stress. Whether families across our state can count on a system that works for them, not against them.
That’s the standard Tennessee should be aiming for.
Imagine finding out your child needs medication, only to realize it’s harder, slower, or more expensive to get than it used to be.
That’s the kind of real-life impact Tennessee lawmakers are risking right now with SB 2040 and HB 1959, bills that could change how families across the Volunteer State access prescription drugs.
These bills would require companies that operate both pharmacies and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to split apart their businesses. Supporters say it’s about lowering drug prices.
But for many Tennessee families, the more likely result is fewer choices, less convenience, and higher costs.
Right now, families across our state rely on a mix of options to get the medications they need. That might mean stopping at a local pharmacy on the way home, visiting a national chain with extended hours, or using mail-order delivery to ensure prescriptions arrive on time.
Each option serves a purpose.
For a parent managing a busy schedule, convenience matters. For a senior on multiple medications, consistency matters. For families in rural areas, closeness matters.
These proposals put that balance at risk.
By forcing certain providers to restructure or leave parts of the market, the state would be reducing competition; the very thing that helps keep prices down and services accessible. When options shrink, families are often left paying more and working harder just to get the care they need.
That could mean longer drives to fill a prescription, delays when a child is sick, or fewer affordable ways to manage chronic conditions.
Those aren’t policy talking points. They’re real-life challenges.
And they raise a bigger question: Who should decide how this system works, families and patients, or government?
Tennessee has always valued independence, hard work, and the freedom to make choices that are best for our families. We expect businesses to compete fairly and earn our trust by serving us well, not by seeking political favor.
When government steps in to decide which business models are allowed to operate and which aren’t, it changes that equation.
It’s no longer about who serves families best. It becomes about who has the most influence.
That’s a line we should be careful not to cross.
Supporters of these bills argue they are trying to address high drug prices. That’s a goal everyone shares. But limiting competition and allowing government to dictate business models rarely leads to lower costs. More often, it leads to fewer options and higher prices over time.
HB 1959 and SB 2040 are also a slap at President Trump’s effort at drug price affordability, TrumpRx. This system is designed to work through the same PBMs and pharmacies that Tennessee legislators are proposing to break up. This puts every legislator voting in favor at risk of not only contravening President Trump but letting down every Tennessean who is concerned about paying for their medicines.
Tennessee families deserve better than a system where the rules shift in ways that make life harder.
We deserve a system that:
• gives families real choices
• keeps costs manageable
• makes it easier to care for the people we love
Because at the end of the day, this isn’t about politics. It’s about whether a mom can get medicine for her child without delay.Whether a senior can manage their prescriptions without added stress. Whether families across our state can count on a system that works for them, not against them.
That’s the standard Tennessee should be aiming for.
