Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has issued a Civil Investigative Demand to CVS Health Corp. and its pharmacy benefit manager, Caremark, as part of an investigation into alleged anticompetitive practices affecting patients and independent pharmacies.
The probe is examining whether CVS and Caremark steer patients to CVS pharmacies, reimburse affiliated pharmacies more favorably than independent pharmacies for identical prescriptions, impose audits that claw back payments, and use restrictive contracts that harm competition, according to a June 23 news release.
CVS Health owns Caremark and more than 9,000 pharmacies nationwide, including roughly 800 in Florida. The state said the three largest PBMs, including Caremark, handle about 80% of U.S. prescriptions.
The Civil Investigative Demand seeks documents and testimony related to reimbursement rates, pharmacy contracts, patient steering, audits, rebates and differential treatment between CVS-owned and independent pharmacies. State officials said the practices under review may contribute to pharmacy closures and the growth of pharmacy deserts.
CVS and Caremark must comply with the demand by July 28.
Florida is not the first state to act. In December 2025, Oklahoma’s attorney general reached a $5 million settlement with CVS Caremark over allegations the PBM underpaid independent pharmacies for prescriptions filled between January 2024 and August 2025. The FTC also remains in active litigation against CVS Caremark and OptumRx over similar allegations tied to specialty drug pricing at affiliated pharmacies.
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