Attorney General Mayes Sues Pharmacy Benefit Managers Express Scripts and Optum for Contributing to Arizona’s Opioid Crisis

PHOENIX – Attorney General Kris Mayes today announced that the Attorney General’s Office has filed a consumer fraud lawsuit against Express Scripts and Optum, two of the largest pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) in the nation. The Attorney General’s complaint alleges that, for more than two decades, the PBM Defendants engaged in deceptive, unfair, and unlawful practices that substantially contributed to the opioid epidemic in Arizona. According to the complaint, Express Scripts and Optum used their market power and unique access to real‑time prescription data to promote increased opioid prescribing while concealing material information about the risks associated with opioids and the financial arrangements that shaped their formulary and utilization‑management decisions. The PBMs allegedly assured clients and the public that their formularies and safety controls prioritized clinical appropriateness, yet in practice prioritized maximizing rebate revenue and other financial benefits from opioid manufacturers. “These pharmacy benefit managers repeatedly violated Arizona law and placed the health and safety of Arizonans at risk,” said Attorney General Mayes. “By designing formula...