What kinds of pharmacy and PBM disputes arise, and can they be mediated?

Pharmacy disputes frequently involve pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) — the intermediaries that administer prescription drug benefits — and can include disagreements over contract terms, reimbursement rates, audits and recoupments, network participation, and the handling of specialty medications. Disputes also arise around pharmacy operations, vendor relationships, and reimbursement for high-cost drugs. These are largely contract-based commercial disputes between sophisticated parties, which makes them well suited to mediation and arbitration. A neutral who understands both pharmacy operations and the economics of drug reimbursement can help the parties work through complex contract and pricing issues far more efficiently than general litigation would allow.