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Dr. Alan Pannier

Podcast 187: The Truth About PBMs and Drug Pricing w/ Dr. Alan Pannier

Aug 22, 2025

Episode Summary

Pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) play a pivotal role in drug pricing, yet their practices often remain shrouded in a black box of rebates, spread pricing, and misaligned incentives. In this installment of our Pharma Series, Alan Pannier, Senior Vice President of Product Strategy at SmithRx, breaks down how legacy PBMs use opaque contracts and vertical integration to drive up costs, why employers are beginning to push back, and how transparent, cost-based models are reshaping the future of pharmacy benefits.

Episode Notes

Pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) play a pivotal role in drug pricing, yet their practices often remain shrouded in a black box of rebates, spread pricing, and misaligned incentives. In this installment of our Pharma Series, Alan Pannier, Senior Vice President of Product Strategy at SmithRx, breaks down how legacy PBMs use opaque contracts and vertical integration to drive up costs, why employers are beginning to push back, and how transparent, cost-based models are reshaping the future of pharmacy benefits.

🎙 ABOUT ALAN PANNIER
Alan Pannier, Pharm D,MBA has extensive experience in the pharmaceutical industry, with a background in managed care pharmacy. Alan has held various leadership positions at companies such as SmithRx, Magellan Health, and Veridicus Health. Alan completed their Doctorate of Pharmacy and Master of Business Administration at Idaho State University, following a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry at Westminster University.

🎙 ABOUT HEALTH CARE ROUNDS
Health Care Rounds is a weekly podcast developed for health care leaders who are at the forefront of health care delivery and payment reform. Join Darwin Research Group founder and CEO John Marchica as he discusses the latest advancements in health care business news and policy developments.

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