PA PHARMACISTS COMMEND PASSAGE OF PBM REFORM BILL TO PROTECT PATIENT ACCESS TO LOCAL PHARMACIES
A coalition of Pennsylvania community pharmacists are lauding the passage of House Bill 1993, a pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) reform package that will help protect access to local pharmacies for Pennsylvania families. The legislation now goes to Gov. Josh Shapiro for his signature. The governor called for PBM reform in his February budget address.
PBMs are supposed to negotiate good prices with drug companies for prescription drugs, but the savings are not passed on to patients, health insurers or community pharmacies. Instead, those dollars are going right into the pockets of PBMs. This year alone, over 140 pharmacies in Pennsylvania have closed their doors.
The legislation includes critical patient protections and new government oversight, including:
- Limits on PBM patient steering, ensuring patients have access to their local pharmacies without the threat of financial penalties from PBMs.
- A comprehensive study of PBM business practices, as part of Pennsylvania Insurance Department oversight.
- Definitions for what a specialty drug is, helping to protect access for important drugs at your local pharmacy.
The legislation also protects patient access to immunizations in pharmacies for ages 8 and up and creates the ability for pharmacists to test for Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), a highly contagious virus that causes respiratory tract infections.
“The broad bipartisan support for this common-sense legislation provides stronger patient protections through enhanced transparency and oversight of PBMs,” said Victoria E. Elliott, CEO of the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association. “The Insurance Department study will provide critical information to continue to improve oversight and regulation of PBMs in this Commonwealth.
“On behalf of the PPA and our pharmacy coalition partners, we want to thank bill prime sponsors in the House, Representatives Jessica Benham, D-Allegheny and Valerie Gaydos, R-Allegheny, as well as Senate sponsors Judy Ward, R-Blair and Christine Tartaglione, D-Philadelphia, for championing these important reforms that will benefit countless Pennsylvanians. We also appreciate the strong support from Governor Shapiro on this issue. By signing this legislation into law, he will preserve community pharmacies as viable local businesses and restore patients’ choice of their preferred pharmacy provider.”
