CINCINNATI — A new lawsuit filed by Hamilton County accuses multiple drug manufacturers and pharmacy benefit managers of inflating the price of insulin and other diabetes medications.
The suit, filed by the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners with County Prosecutor Connie Pillich, claims an illegal pricing scheme between manufacturers Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk and Sanofi and pharmacy benefits managers CVS Caremark, Express Scripts, and OptumRx resulted in excessively high insulin prices for the county's employees and dependents.
"Insulin is a lifesaving medication that has been around for decades, yet families and employers are paying more than ever to access it," Commission President Stephanie Summerow Dumas said in a release. "When drug companies and middlemen drive up costs, it hurts our employees, their families and ultimately taxpayers."
The county says it provides health coverage to about 8,800 plan members. From 2023 to 2025, insulin-related costs for those members totaled around $13 million — a number the commission noted could go toward other projects or workforces.
"When Hamilton County is forced to overpay for prescription drugs, that is taxpayer money that could be going toward road repairs, first responders, or educational opportunities. ... The health care system should protect our community, not drain resources from it, and we are taking action to ensure fair prices for lifesaving medications," Commissioner Alicia Reece said.
Hamilton County is seeking financial compensation for both its health plan members and taxpayers — as well as a court order to stop the alleged scheme.
This move is similar to many other active lawsuits across the state and country. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost sued Express Scripts and Prime Therapeutics in 2023 for illegally driving up drug prices. Express Scripts, CVS Caremark and OptumRx together control 96% of the global market for insulin.
