Following Hearing, Warren Presses Trump Military Official to Release Data Revealing Whether Military Contractor is Overcharging Military for Prescription Drugs

Skip to primary navigation Skip to content × Close Mobile Nav About About Elizabeth Committee Assignments About Massachusetts Voting Record Contact Share Your Opinion Help with a Federal Agency Office Locations Send me Updates Share Your CFPB Story Save Our Schools Services Help with a Federal Agency Return to Repayment Guide Visiting DC/Tours Flag Request Internships Meeting Requests Academy Nominations Special Recognitions Grants Small Businesses Veterans, Servicemembers and Military Families FY2027 National Defense Authorization Act Requests FY 2027 Appropriations Requests Oversight Reports Letters Social Security War Room Save Our Schools Campaign Legislation Newsroom News Coverage Press Releases Op-Eds Videos × Close Site Search search Elizabeth Warren Senator Elizabeth Warren's Facebook Page (This link opens in new window or tab.) Senator Elizabeth Warren's BlueSky (This link opens in new window or tab.) Senator Elizabeth Warren's Twitter (This link opens in new window or tab.) Senator Elizabeth Warren's Youtube (This link opens in new window or tab.) Senator Elizabeth Warren's Instagram (This link opens in new window or tab.) About About Elizabeth Committee Assignments About Massachusetts Voting Record Contact Share Your Opinion Help with a Federal Agency Office Locations Send me Updates Share Your CFPB Story Save Our Schools Services Help with a Federal Agency Return to Repayment Guide Visiting DC/Tours Flag Request Internships Meeting Requests Academy Nominations Special Recognitions Grants Small Businesses Veterans, Servicemembers and Military Families FY2027 National Defense Authorization Act Requests FY 2027 Appropriations Requests Oversight Reports Letters Social Security War Room Save Our Schools Campaign Legislation Newsroom News Coverage Press Releases Op-Eds Videos Español Close Search Open Search Popup Popup Search Close Search Popup MENU Senator Elizabeth Warren's Facebook Page (This link opens in new window or tab.) Senator Elizabeth Warren's BlueSky (This link opens in new window or tab.) Senator Elizabeth Warren's Twitter (This link opens in new window or tab.) Senator Elizabeth Warren's Youtube (This link opens in new window or tab.) Senator Elizabeth Warren's Instagram (This link opens in new window or tab.) Home Newsroom Press Releases June 10, 2026 Following Hearing, Warren Presses Trump Military Official to Release Data Revealing Whether Military Contractor is Overcharging Military for Prescription Drugs Largest pharmacy benefit manager in the U.S. may be sending affiliated pharmacies inflated payments, elbowing out competitors “[T]axpayers deserve to know that (government funds) are being used for their intended purpose, not for potential self-dealing by DHA contractors.” Text of Letter (PDF) Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), wrote to Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Keith Bass, urging him to follow through on commitments he made to release data that would allow Congress to evaluate whether Express Scripts, the largest pharmacy benefit manager in the United States and military pharmacy contractor, may be sending inflated payments to its own pharmacies and under-reimbursing competing pharmacies. “[T]axpayers deserve to know that [government funds] are being used for their intended purpose, not for potential self-dealing by [Defense Health Agency] contractors,” said Senator Warren . The Defense Health Agency (DHA) spends billions of dollars to provide TRICARE pharmacy benefits — as part of the military health care system — to 9.6 million service members, retirees, and family members. Since 2009, DHA has awarded Express Scripts an exclusive TRICARE pharmacy contract, which involves running the military’s retail pharmacy network and mail order program. But Express Scripts also owns mail order and specialty pharmacies that participate in the TRICARE network. Reporting has revealed that Express Scripts appears to be charging the military $484 more, on average, to dispense generic drugs through Express Scripts’ own mail-order pharmacies than through competing pharmacies. “[This] creates a clear conflict of interest,” said Senator Warren. As a result of onerous contract terms offered by Express Scripts, more than 13,000 retail pharmacies have left the TRICARE network since 2022, leaving hundreds of thousands of military families without an in-network pharmacy. In a recent hearing , Senator Warren pressed Assistant Secretary Bass to commit to conducting annual audits of TRICARE’s pharmacy contract and providing Congress with the difference in reimbursement rates, fees, and other price concessions for Express Scripts-owned pharmacies and their competitors in the network. Bass agreed, but with no particular timeline in place. “You gave me your commitment that you would do so. I appreciate your prompt attention to this matter and request that you provide my office with all relevant and pertinen