Riley Gaines: Alabama lawmakers pushing ‘prescription tax that will pad Big Pharma’s pockets’

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March 18, 2025

Riley Gaines, a former University of Kentucky swimmer turned conservative activist, is setting her sights on some Alabama lawmakers’ ongoing effort to reform the practice of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) within the state.

This morning, Gaines utilized her platform to argue current proposed reform measures will levy a prescription tax at the expense of consumers. On Wednesday, members of the Alabama Senate Banking and Insurance Committee will consider SB99 and SB93.

“The Alabama Legislature is pushing a prescription tax that will pad Big Pharma’s pockets while costing consumers and businesses millions,” Gaines wrote.

“Instead of letting President Trump and RFK hold Big Pharma accountable, these so-called ‘Republicans’ are doing their bidding.”

The Alabama Legislature is pushing a prescription tax that will pad Big Pharma’s pockets while costing consumers and businesses millions.

Instead of letting President Trump and RFK hold Big Pharma accountable, these so-called “Republicans” are doing their bidding. https://t.co/nexwWGl22O

— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) March 18, 2025

To her point about President Trump and Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. making PBM reform a federal priority, she reshared news coverage regarding a timely push to overhaul pharmacy benefit managers at the federal level.

President Trump recently expressed optimism about federal reform, confirming that both the U.S. House and Senate are progressing with bipartisan legislation to address PBMs’ role in drug pricing. The legislation aims to decouple PBMs’ compensation from drug prices, ban spread pricing for Medicaid, and introduce several measures to rein in the power of PBMs, which Trump has vowed to “knock out.”

Last month, Gaines also posted her support for Alabama lawmakers’ effort in passing State Sen. April Weaver (R-Briarfield) and State Rep. Susan Dubose’s (R-Hoover) ‘What is a Woman Act’ to protect women’s and girls athletics and public spaces within the state.

Alabama Senate Republicans knows the answer to the question 'what is a woman?'

Thank you, @aprilcweaver, for bringing common sense back to the law by declaring there are only two sexes. Onwards. https://t.co/SvzYOIaNBw

— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) February 6, 2025

Grayson Everett is the editor in chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270.

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