NACDS: A legislative vehicle must include PBM reform; inaction is costing Americans

ARLINGTON, Va.  – National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) president and CEO Steven Anderson issued the following statement Tuesday:

“Words like ‘continuing resolution,’ ‘budget reconciliation,’ and ‘standalone bill’ are the words of Washington, DC. While all of these legislative vehicles are sorted out, one fact remains: pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) reform remains a long overdue need and the costs of inaction continue to ravage Americans, their pharmacies, and their communities. 

“Every day, Americans are living with the acceleration of prescription drug price inflation and the closing of trusted and convenient pharmacies.At the hands of the PBM middlemen, nearly four pharmacies are closing each day – at an increasing rate. Americans have missed out on hundreds of millions of dollars of savings just since the last Congress ended. The costs of inaction on PBM reform are massive and they are growing, all while the PBMs redouble their revenue. 

"Meanwhile, Congress has reforms ready to go – a sound package that was finalized last December. Americans need this win and it is time to deliver it to them. As Congress and the Administration figure out the legislative roadmap, PBM reform needs to get done without further needless delay.”

More information is available on a new NACDS fact sheet.