In this eye-opening interview, Clay sits down with Michael Jones, owner of Helping Hand Family Pharmacy in Vicksburg, to expose the pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) "racket" that's devastating independent pharmacies across Mississippi. Michael breaks down how PBMs—middlemen like Express Scripts (Cigna), CVS Caremark, and Optum (UnitedHealth)—started as claim consolidators but evolved into profit machines through spread pricing, manufacturer rebates, and vertical integration, forcing locals to sell meds below cost and leading to widespread closures.

 

He shares his fight's origin: Post-COVID reimbursement drops hit hard, shuttering stores like People's Drugstore, creating "drug deserts." Michael dug into campaign finances, uncovering PBM-linked donors influencing lawmakers, and went public—posting at his store and on social media—to rally customers. A Mississippi audit revealed Optum paying affiliates 20x more than independents, while PBM profits soar into billions.

 

Urgent action: Support House Bill 1672 (State Affairs Committee) and Senate Bill 2575 (Public Health and Welfare)—bills must exit committee by February 3. Michael urges calls to the Capitol switchboard at (601) 359-3770 to demand fair reforms. Last year's near-win died at the eleventh hour; don't let it happen again. This is a battle for community businesses—stand up before independents vanish!