(TNS) In the absence of much federal action, states have enacted dozens of laws this year to lower prescription drug costs for their residents — and many more are considering following suit.

States cannot lower drug prices directly, but they can go after different parts of the drug supply chain to try to lower patients’ out-of-pocket costs and reduce excessive spending in state-run health plans.

Nearly two-thirds of the new state laws are aimed at pharmacy benefit managers — the drug middlemen who negotiate deals among the manufacturers that make the drugs, the insurers that allow the drugs to be prescribed, and the pharmacies that sell them.

Several states are considering drug affordability review boards. Others have passed laws to hold manufacturers and PBMs to higher transparency sta

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