Pharmacy groups back CMS effort on Part D contracting

ARLINGTON, VA — A national coalition of pharmacy groups today issued the following statement regarding the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) RFI on Medicare Part D Reasonable and Relevant Pharmacy Contracting Standards — part of the implementation of pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) reforms enacted in February 2026:

Our organizations welcome CMS’s release of a thoughtful and comprehensive Request for Information (RFI) to inform the development and implementation of standards for reasonable and relevant Medicare Part D pharmacy contract terms and conditions. The RFI represents an important step toward translating Congress’s bipartisan reforms into meaningful protections for pharmacies and Medicare beneficiaries. Through detailed questions addressing the contracting practices and operational issues that matter most to pharmacies and the patients they serve, CMS has demonstrated its commitment to building a robust factual record and developing workable, transparent, and enforceable standards.

We commend CMS for engaging constructively with stakeholders throughout this process and look forward to providing a comprehensive response to the RFI. Our coalition remains committed to working collaboratively with CMS to ensure these reforms strengthen pharmacy access and choice for Medicare beneficiaries.