FTC and State AGs Sue to Block Kroger-Albertsons Merger, Protecting Consumers from Soaring Grocery Bills
February 26, 2024 — In response to news that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and a bipartisan group of 9 state attorneys general have sued to block grocery store Kroger’s $26.4 billion acquisition of its competitor, Albertsons, the American Economic Liberties Project released the following statement.
American Banker: Big banks charge higher credit card APRs than smaller issuers, CFPB says
February 18, 2024 — Morgan Harper is quoted in coverage of the CFPB's report finding that the largest credit card issuers charge significantly higher APRs than smaller issuers.
FTC and HHS Crack Down on Consolidated GPOs’ Role in Drug Shortages
February 14, 2024 — in response to news that the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have launched a request for information on how pharmaceutical middlemen known as group purchasing organizations (GPOs) and wholesalers contribute to shortages of crucial drugs, the American Economic Liberties Project released the following statement. As mentioned in the Wall Street Journal, Economic Liberties previously sent a letter to the FTC urging them to investigate the role of GPOs in drug shortages and rising healthcare costs in 2022, and recently detailed the market power of these middlemen in a policy brief, “The Dirty Secret of Drug Shortages.”
HHS Can Lower Drug Prices Now by Banning PBM Rebates
February 13, 2024 — On the heels of Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra’s refusal to commit to ending kickbacks in the pharmaceutical industry yesterday in Ohio, the American Economic Liberties Project today released a new policy brief, “Why We Should Ban PBM Rebates,” explaining how pharmacy benefit managers weaponize the rebate system to seek excess profits through kickbacks from the pharmaceutical industry, and how eliminating rebates would lower drug prices for patients.
Congress Stalls on Airline Industry Reform in FAA Reauthorization
February 9, 2024 — Yesterday, the Senate Commerce Committee passed a version of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act of 2023 that did not go nearly far enough to address critical issues in competition, consolidation, passenger protections, and safety in the airline industry. As the bill moves on to a House and Senate committee before its final vote, the American Economic Liberties Project released the following statement.