The overwhelming realization is that PBM reform must be included in 2024 year-end Congressional legislation

Arlington, VA – National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) President and CEO Steven C. Anderson and National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) CEO Douglas Hoey issued the following statement regarding the U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter-led letter to Congressional leadership on Dec. 6:

“We applaud the bipartisan members of Congress who are standing strong for urgently needed pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) reforms in the waning days of the 118^th Congress. More than a quarter of the U.S. House of Representatives demonstrated their support, citing the need for immediate action to address market-dominant PBM middlemen tactics that inflate Americans’ prescription drug costs, force pharmacy closures, and block access to Americans’ pharmacies of choice.

“We also laud the commitment of other Republican and Democratic members of the House of Representatives and of the Senate who are working hard to deliver comprehensive PBM reform before year’s end.

“Every day of delay is another day that PBMs are allowed to sustain their predatory practices. Congress must enact, this year, the bipartisan reforms in Medicare and Medicaid that have advanced on a bipartisan basis in the U.S. House of Representatives (H.R. 5378, the ‘Lower Costs, More Transparency Act’) and the Senate Finance Committee (S. 2973, the ‘Modernizing and Ensuring PBM Accountability (MEPA) Act’ and S.3430, the ‘Better Mental Health Care, Lower-Cost Drugs, and Extenders (BETTER) Act of 2023’).

“Enacting the Medicaid spread-pricing ban and the protections for Medicare ‘reasonable and relevant contract terms’ are vital for vulnerable Americans’ access to their medications and to needed health and wellness services.

“Americans and their pharmacies desperately await Congressional action.” READ THE CONGRESSIONAL LETTER

A coalition of organizations representing pharmacies and pharmacists across all practice settings sent a letter on Dec. 4 to Congressional leadership urging that the U.S. Congress act without delay and enact this year the must-pass pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) reforms in Medicare and Medicaid that have advanced on a bipartisan, bicameral basis.

The multi-association coalition, made up of the following groups — the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, the National Community Pharmacists Association, the American Pharmacists Association, the National Association of Specialty Pharmacy, FMI – The Food Industry Association, the National Grocers Association and the National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations — stated the following in their letter:

We write – firmly united – as pharmacies and pharmacists across all practice settings.

We extend our deepest gratitude and strongest encouragement for the U.S. Congress’ continued bipartisan scrutiny of the practices of some market-dominant pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) middlemen that inflate Americans’ prescription drug costs, force pharmacy closures, and block access to Americans’ pharmacies of choice.

Speaking with one voice, we also urge the U.S. Congress to send to the President’s desk this year the must-pass PBM reforms in Medicare and Medicaid that would at long last confront these harmful practices, and that have advanced on a bipartisan basis in the U.S. House of Representatives (H.R. 5378, the “Lower Costs, More Transparency Act”) and the Senate Finance Committee (S. 2973, the Modernizing and Ensuring PBM Accountability (MEPA) Act” and S.3430, the “Better Mental Health Care, Lower-Cost Drugs, and Extenders (BETTER) Act of 2023”).

Throughout the 118^th Congress, our organizations and individual members have provided examples and insights about concerning PBM practices and their harms. Pharmacies and pharmacists have experienced and warned about these tactics for upwards of 15 years. Unabated and unchecked by federal action, these tactics and their devastating effects have escalated consistently and severely – and they have reached even new extremes in 2024.

As is now widely known, every day that passes without reform means more dollars flowing to PBMs instead of reducing Americans’ prescription drug costs and safeguarding access to trusted and convenient pharmacies.

Thankfully, recognition of some dominant PBMs’ devastating practices today is prevalent among Republicans and [ READ MORE ]