Excessive refilling is common practice at U.S. mail-order pharmacies, a Journal analysis of Medicare prescription data found, flooding the homes of seniors with extra drugs. Too-frequent refills by all U.S. pharmacies cost Medicare and patients $3 billion between 2021 and 2023, the analysis found.

Another example of harmful vertical integration, this time between the two biggest lobby groups on the Hill: AARP, representing seniors, and healthcare conglomerates.