Ep. 39 - Martha Nolan & Mike Stancil

In this episode of Business of America, host Jerry Rogers dives into the murky world of Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) with two industry experts: Martha Nolan, Senior Policy Advisor at HealthyWomen, and Mike Stancil, VP of Strategic Alliances at AffirmedRx.

The conversation covers the real cost of prescription drugs, the hidden mechanics of the PBM industry, and how women disproportionately bear the burden of a confusing and costly healthcare system. Martha offers a patient-focused perspective shaped by years of advocacy, while Mike pulls back the curtain on rebate schemes, spread pricing, and how PBMs manipulate formularies for profit.

They also explore promising legislation, bipartisan reform efforts, and how transparent PBMs like AffirmedRx are changing the model to prioritize patients over profits.

🧠 Key Topics:

• What PBMs are and why they matter
• How rebate structures inflate drug prices
• Step therapy, prior authorizations, and their impact on women
• The role of HealthyWomen in healthcare education and policy
• What real PBM reform could look like