In 2021, the top pharmacy benefit managers included CVS Health, Express Scripts, and OptumRx, to name a few. CVS Health had the largest share of the pharmacy benefit manager market in 2021. In total, CVS Health held 33 percent of the market at that time. Pharmacy benefit managers are an important part of the prescription drug supply chain.
Pharmacy benefit managers
Pharmacy benefit managers are responsible for the operation and distribution of pharmaceuticals to patients and pharmacies. They are also responsible for the negotiation of rebates and processing of insurance claims from patients and pharmacies. Among pharmaceutical distributors in the U.S., chain stores distributed the largest value of pharmaceuticals in recent years. However, data suggests that pharmacy benefit managers have the highest gross profit among all actors in the U.S. drugs supply chain.
Market share based on total prescription claims. Missing percentage points to 100 percent are probably due to rounding.
* Includes Cigna claims which fully transitioned to Express Scripts by the end of 2020, and a portion of Prime Therapeutics network.
** Excludes estimates of 2021 claims for which Express Scripts handles pharmacy network contracting.
*** Figure includes some cash pay prescriptions that use a discount card processed by one of the 6 PBMs shown on the chart.
Profit from the additional features of your individual account
Currently, you are using a shared account. To use individual functions (e.g., mark statistics as favourites, set
statistic alerts) please log in with your personal account.
If you are an admin, please authenticate by logging in again.
Statista Accounts:
Access All Statistics. Starting from $468 / Year
Learn more about how Statista can support your business.
Drug Channels Institute. (April 5, 2022). Market share of the top pharmacy benefit managers in the U.S. prescription market in 2021 [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved May 19, 2022, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/239976/us-prescription-market-share-of-top-pharmacy-benefit-managers/
Drug Channels Institute. "Market share of the top pharmacy benefit managers in the U.S. prescription market in 2021." Chart. April 5, 2022. Statista. Accessed May 19, 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/239976/us-prescription-market-share-of-top-pharmacy-benefit-managers/
Drug Channels Institute. (2022). Market share of the top pharmacy benefit managers in the U.S. prescription market in 2021. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: May 19, 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/239976/us-prescription-market-share-of-top-pharmacy-benefit-managers/
Drug Channels Institute. "Market Share of The Top Pharmacy Benefit Managers in The U.S. Prescription Market in 2021." Statista, Statista Inc., 5 Apr 2022, https://www.statista.com/statistics/239976/us-prescription-market-share-of-top-pharmacy-benefit-managers/
Drug Channels Institute, Market share of the top pharmacy benefit managers in the U.S. prescription market in 2021 Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/239976/us-prescription-market-share-of-top-pharmacy-benefit-managers/ (last visited May 19, 2022)