BLOOMFIELD, Conn. – New data shows U.S. employers want simpler, more predictable pharmacy benefits, with nine in ten saying that a model that ends rebates and gives savings directly to patients would improve transparency of prescription drug pricing. The research, conducted by Penta Group on behalf of Evernorth Health Services, underscores a market evolution in pharmacy benefits, as employers increasingly prioritize health spending predictability and lower costs for consumers.
“The U.S. health care landscape is rapidly evolving to become transparent and consumer-centric,” said Ashley Holzworth-Nash, PharmD, Vice President, Retail Network Product Strategy and Solutions, Evernorth Health Services. “This data confirms employers want pharmacy benefits that are easier to understand, easier to budget for, and designed around the experience of the people they cover. That’s exactly why we created Evernorth Signature Pharmacy Benefit Services – a transparent, rebate-free, fee-based model that delivers a better experience for employees while bringing greater predictability and renewed trust to pharmacy benefits.”
Key Insights
The survey builds on the findings of other recent research about employers’ evolving approach to pharmacy benefits. It found that U.S. employers favor rebate-free models like the one introduced by Evernorth last year, including:
- 92% agree that rebate-free pharmacy benefit models improve transparency of prescription drug pricing.
- 91% believe rebate-free pharmacy benefit models are easier to understand than current models.
- 90% say that a rebate-free pharmacy benefit model would improve employee satisfaction with their benefits and believe it would improve employees’ ability to afford medications.
- 87% believe that a rebate-free pharmacy benefit model aligns better with their organizational needs than current models.
- 86% expect a rebate-free pharmacy benefits model to improve pharmacy spending predictability for employers.
This evolution in employer demand reflects changes across the U.S. health care landscape. An aging population – by 2030, 1 in 5 Americans will be 65 or older – increases demand for prescriptions that puts more pressure on current pharmacy benefits models. Plus, prescription drug utilization is at record highs: 66% of U.S. adults take at least one prescription medication and many take multiple, which makes increased transparency and simplicity more important.
About Signature Pharmacy Benefit Services: A New Solution for a New Era
The new Signature Pharmacy Benefit Services model is designed to meet these evolving employer needs and usher in a new era of pharmacy benefit services. The new model offers:
- Transparency: Helps plan sponsors gain greater visibility into underlying medication costs through pharmacy acquisition cost transparency, enhanced reporting, audits, and third-party validation.
- Simplicity: Transitions away from complex rebate- and other network-driven economics toward a clear, fee-based compensation for PBM services – fully delinked from the prices of medications.
- Predictability: In addition to more predictable fee-based compensation, provides greater visibility into service fees and medication costs through transparent pharmacy acquisition cost, pharmaceutical manufacturer value applied at adjudication, and enhanced reporting – ensuring the value delivered is easier to understand, measure and trust.
- Affordability: Puts the value of the negotiated discounts at the pharmacy counter to provide lower costs and better experience for employees, who will see the biggest savings on brand-name drugs, which account for 88% of drug spending.
As previously announced, Cigna Healthcare will adopt Signature Pharmacy Benefit Services for its fully insured commercial clients beginning in 2027, and the model will become the standard available for all Evernorth pharmacy benefits clients beginning in 2028.
About the Penta Survey Methodology
Penta conducted a survey of Benefit Decision Makers from February 4 - February 17, 2026. Benefit Decision Makers were defined as those who make decisions for companies involving benefits, specifically health care. The full sample size was 300, with 150 from companies with 1,000-4,999 employees and 150 from companies with 5,000+ employees.
About Evernorth Health Services
Evernorth Health Services is the pharmacy, care, and benefits solutions division of The Cigna Group (NYSE: CI). We create and deliver innovative, flexible, and people-first solutions that solve the most complex health care challenges. Evernorth is home to pioneering brands including Express Scripts, Express Scripts Pharmacy, Accredo, eviCore, and MD Live. We have more than 40,000 employees who work to make health care more affordable, predictable, and simple for the 190 million people we serve. Learn more at evernorth.com.
Media Contact
Justine Sessions
Justine.sessions@evernorth.com
860-810-6523
