# Pennsylvania sues pharma companies for insulin price collusion

> Pennsylvania sues drug makers and PBMs over 1,000% insulin price hikes.
- Title: Pennsylvania sues pharma companies for insulin price collusion
- Summary: Pennsylvania sues drug makers and PBMs over 1,000% insulin price hikes. Pennsylvania sued drug companies and pharmacy benefit managers for allegedly raising…
- Keywords: pennsylvania, insulin, diabetes, pharmaceutical companies, pharmacy benefit managers, price collusion, lawsuit, attorney general, restitution, injunctive relief, news, local
- Source: PhillyVoice — https://phillyvoice.com/insulin-prices-pennsylvania-lawsuit-pharmaceutical-companies
- Published: 2026-10-13T20:41:58.093+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: pennsylvania, insulin, diabetes, pharmaceutical companies, pharmacy benefit managers, price collusion, lawsuit, attorney general, restitution, injunctive relief, news, local
## Pennsylvania sues drug makers and PBMs
Pennsylvania filed a lawsuit against pharmaceutical companies and pharmacy benefit managers for allegedly colluding to inflate insulin prices by more than 1,000%.
## Affected 1.3 million diabetics
The lawsuit claims 1.3 million Pennsylvania residents with diabetes and 3.5 million with prediabetes were harmed by artificially inflated insulin prices.
## Price hikes from $2 to $300-$700
Insulin prices jumped from $2 to $300-$700 per vial, despite the drugs costing less than $2 to manufacture, since the mid-2000s.
## PBM quid pro quo deals
Pharmaceutical companies allegedly paid PBMs a portion of profits to include insulin in their plans, creating a quid pro quo arrangement.
## PBM drug exclusions
Around 2012, PBMs began excluding one or more drugs that treat the same condition to boost their own profits.
## Attorney General's claim
The lawsuit states that the PBM Defendants control which drugs are available for most Pennsylvania diabetics and inflate prices for life-sustaining drugs.
## Restitution and penalties
Attorney General Dave Sunday seeks restitution for affected patients and $1,000 penalties per violation of the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law.
## Philadelphia DA lawsuit
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner filed a similar lawsuit against the same pharmaceutical companies and PBMs in 2024.
## Price cuts in response
Drug manufacturers like Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk began slashing insulin prices in 2024 after significant backlash and federal pressure.
## Inflation Reduction Act impact
The Inflation Reduction Act capped insulin costs at $35 per month for seniors on Medicare starting in 2023.
## Key takeaway

Pennsylvania sued drug companies and pharmacy benefit managers for allegedly raising insulin prices by over 1,000% since the mid-2000s.