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ARLINGTON, Va. – The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) welcomed today’s announcement by Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-ID) of their bipartisan legislative framework to address issues related to pharmacy benefit managers and the prescription drug supply chain.
NACDS president and CEO Steven C. Anderson said, “NACDS appreciates the bipartisan leadership and commitment of Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-ID) to deliver on PBM reform. Reform is needed swiftly and completely to remedy ‘pharmaceutical benefit manipulation’ by middlemen that maximizes their own profits while negatively affecting patients, pharmacies, employers, taxpayers, communities, and the nation.
“NACDS looks forward to supporting the Committee’s development of legislative solutions and we continue to advance our Principles of PBM Reform to help ensure a truly comprehensive remedy that stands the test of time against PBMs’ cunning approach to morphing their tactics. Congressional action, and efforts at all levels and all branches of government, must:
- Stop explosive retroactive fees
- Stop below-cost reimbursement
- Stop gaming of performance measures
- Stop ‘specialty definitions’ from steering patients from their pharmacy
- Stop mandatory mail order
- Stop limited networks
- Stop overwhelming audits
- Stop the undercutting of PBM reform laws.
“We are pleased to see further progress on a bipartisan basis toward addressing PBM practices that force patients and others to pay more for their medicines, that limit patients’ access to their pharmacist, that restrict patients’ access to the medicines right for them, and that jeopardize the pharmacies on which patients rely.”
A poll conducted by Morning Consult and commissioned by NACDS found that 79% of American adults say pharmacists are “very credible” or “somewhat credible” sources when it comes to information about how to save money on prescription drugs – ranking them highest among those tested (doctors, hospitals, health insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies). NACDS makes available polling data by state and by Congressional District.
