Major PBM-affiliated Group Purchasing Organization

Ascent Health Services is a major group purchasing organization (GPO) primarily affiliated with Express Scripts, a subsidiary of Cigna's Evernorth division. Established to centralize and manage drug procurement and rebate negotiations with pharmaceutical manufacturers, Ascent operates as a middleman to leverage the collective volume of its member Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs). While originally founded by Express Scripts, it has expanded to include other members such as Prime Therapeutics, significantly increasing its market power. The organization is headquartered in Switzerland, a move that has drawn scrutiny regarding transparency and the flow of pharmaceutical rebates within the United States healthcare system.