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ARLINGTON, Va. – The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) is applauding further momentum at the state level in support of meaningful pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) reform.
On January 2, 2025, in a major move, the Arkansas Legislative Council voted to make permanent Rule 128. Passage of Rule 128 will help preserve people’s access to pharmacies by holding PBM middlemen accountable. Specifically, the permanent regulation will mandate that PBMs reimburse pharmacies at fair and reasonable rates, enforce the state’s 2018 PBM law, and hold out-of-state PBMs accountable to Arkansas laws.
Four days prior, on December 30, 2024, the Massachusetts state legislature passed reforms to improve PBM oversight in the state. Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healy (D) signed the bill (S. 3012) on Jan. 8. NACDS encourages the Massachusetts legislature to continue to press forward to deliver the full array of necessary reforms.
The recent actions in Arkansas and Massachusetts build on important PBM reform and reimbursement victories across the states. In 2024 alone, 24 states enacted 33 bills, leading to the adoption of 74 policy changes that align with NACDS’ PBM reform and reimbursement priorities. Additionally, from 2021-2023, more than 131 new state laws were enacted.
“Arkansas and Massachusetts join the growing number of states prioritizing communities in the face of the ‘pharmaceutical benefit manipulation’ that inflates Americans’ prescription drug costs, deprives people of their choice of pharmacies and that force pharmacies of all sizes to close their doors,” said NACDS President and CEO Steven Anderson. “PBM reform requires a comprehensive approach at the state and federal levels and across all branches of government — in recognition of PBM middlemen’s predictable efforts to thwart reforms in any way possible. NACDS is here to stand up for the decision makers who are standing up for patients, pharmacies, employers, taxpayers, communities and the entire state by enacting, implementing, enforcing and defending PBM reform laws.”
NACDS urges the federal and state governments to perform their appropriate roles — and to help reduce Americans’ prescription drug costs, to protect Americans’ access to their trusted and convenient pharmacies and to medications prescribed by their doctors, and to end PBMs’ predatory practices that threaten pharmacies’ viability.
Consistent with this approach, NACDS is urging the 119th U.S. Congress to build on the hard work that was done throughout 2023-2024 to get on-point PBM reforms ready to go, and to pass and enact these needed reforms without delay.
More information is available at NACDS’ Access Agenda microsite.
