New Jersey Senate Republicans

09/30/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/30/2026 12:59

Steinhardt, Gopal Introduce Bills to Control Prescription Drug Costs, Fight Back Against PBMs

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Steinhardt, Gopal Introduce Bills to Control Prescription Drug Costs, Fight Back Against PBMs

Doug Steinhardt Posted on September 30, 2026

Senator Doug Steinhardt (R-Hunterdon, Somerset, Warren) and Senator Vin Gopal (D-Monmouth) announced today the introduction of two bipartisan bills (S-4692 and S-4693) to control the cost of prescription drugs by reining in Pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs).

The bill package comes on the heels of Senator Steinhardt's summer op-ed series, published by the New Jersey Globe, explaining the harm that PBMs cause New Jerseyans every day. The most recent op-ed was jointly written by Senator Steinhardt and Senator Gopal.

"The cost of most goods are influenced by supply and demand, but prescription drug costs are manipulated by shady middlemen known as PBMs," said Senator Steinhardt. "Vertically integrated PBMs operate as insurers, pharmacy operators, and prescription drug middlemen, creating a conflict of interest when they steer patients towards businesses they control. When the playing field is tilted in favor of PBMs it drives up the cost of medication for New Jerseyans who shop at their local pharmacies. My bill package puts patients ahead of the PBM business model and demands greater fairness, transparency, and accountability from the prescription drug market."

"New Jersey families should not have to pay more for the medications they rely on because of a system that lacks transparency and accountability," said Senator Gopal. "I'm proud to work across the aisle on commonsense solutions that will help lower costs, protect patients and local pharmacies, and bring greater accountability to PBMs."

You can read the full text of both bills online (S-4692 here and S-4693 here).

New Jersey Senate Republicans published this content on September 30, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on September 30, 2026 at 18:59 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]