; or (ii) manages or administers the prescription drug benefits provided by a health benefits plan or carrier including the processing and payment of claims for prescription drugs, arranging alternative access to or funding for prescription drugs, the performance of drug utilization review, the processing of drug prior authorization requests, the adjudication of appeals or grievances related to the prescription drug benefit, contracting with network pharmacies, controlling the cost of covered prescription drugs, or the provision of related services. (c) Accountability and conduct (1) In general A pharmacy benefit manager shall not— (A) charge a health benefits plan or carrier different amount for a prescription drug’s ingredient cost or dispensing fee as compared to the amount the pharmacy benefit manager reimburses a pharmacy for the prescription drug’s ingredient cost or dispensing fee; (B) reimburse a network pharmacy or pharmacist in an amount less than the amount the pharmacy benefit manager would reimburse a network pharmacy that is owned, controlled by, or affiliated with the pharmacy benefit manager for dispensing the same drug or for providing the same pharmacist services; or (C) directly or indirectly engage in steering (as defined in paragraph (2)) to a pharmacy that is owned, controlled by, or affiliated with the pharmacy benefit manager. (2) Steering In paragraph (1), the term steering with respect to a pharmacy benefit manager includes— (A) providing or implementing a benefit design that encourages a participant or beneficiary to utilize a pharmacy that is owned, controlled by, or affiliated with the pharmacy benefit manager, if such benefit design increases costs for the plan or the participant or beneficiary, including requiring a participant or beneficiary to pay higher out-of-pocket costs for a prescription if the participant or beneficiary chooses not to use a pharmacy owned, controlled by, or affiliated with the pharmacy benefit manager