Pharmacy orgs laud House committee hearing on PBMs
Several pharmacy groups, including The National Community Pharmacists Association, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, FMI – The Food Industry Association and the National Grocers Association, are urging Congress to remain focused on bipartisan PBM reform momentum "despite attempts of the PBM industry to define the issue as a fight with pharmaceutical manufacturers."
These organizations, representing pharmacies and pharmacists, issued a statement today commending the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Accountability for its hearing on pharmacy benefit manager tactics.
“PBM reform is critically important for patients and for trusted neighborhood pharmacies that serve them. We cannot allow the PBM industry to continue its smokescreen and finger-pointing by defining the bipartisan momentum behind PBM reform as “just another fight with pharmaceutical manufacturers.” That simply would be more misdirection on the PBMs’ part,” the groups said.
[Read more: AAM report: Middlemen increasingly block patient access to new generics]
The groups continued, “As organizations representing diverse pharmacies and pharmacists serving constituents in every state and Congressional District, let us be clear: PBM reform is an issue of critical importance for patients’ pharmacy access, for the viability of pharmacies, for lower drug prices, for patients’ freedom to choose their pharmacy and for patients’ access to medications that are right for them. One example among many others is the abuse of pharmacy direct and indirect remuneration fees by PBMs and payors – which have exploded by 107,400% between 2010 and 2020.”
[Read more: NCPA, NACDS commend House committee investigation on PBMs]
Lastly, the groups said, “We thank Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) and Ranking Member Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) for investigating PBM tactics that are crushing pharmacies and pharmacists and that are putting PBM profits before patients. Don’t let the PBMs define the issue in any other way, and be sure to bring about comprehensive PBM reform for patients and for the pharmacies and pharmacists who serve them.”