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‘An Arm And A Leg’: Why Are Drug Prices So Random? Meet Mr. PBM

By Dan Weissmann

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Surely, an old-time, generic drug can’t cost $720 — for a three-month supply?

After a close call with an outrageous Rx tab, host Dan Weissmann tackles the health care cost puzzle he’s been avoiding: figuring out prescription drug prices.

Here’s what he found: Your insurance company is probably in cahoots with a pharmacy benefit manager — and the negotiations that go on between them are trade secrets. No wonder it’s so hard to know what you’ll pay at the drugstore counter!

On Episode 4 of “An Arm and a Leg,” meet the behind-the-scenes negotiator that helps decide how much you pay at the pharmacy counter.

Season 2 is a co-production of Kaiser Health News and Public Road Productions.

To keep in touch with “An Arm and a Leg,” . You can also follow the show on Ìý²¹²Ô»åÌý. And if you’ve got stories to tell about the health care system, the producers .

To hear all Kaiser Health News podcasts,Ìýclick here.

And subscribe to “An Arm and a Leg” on ,Ìý,ÌýÌý´Ç°ùÌý.

Ñî¹óåú´«Ã½Ò•îl Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF—an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about .

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