NACDS: House Ways & Means action reflects priority status of PBM reform

National Association of Chain Drug Stores president and CEO Steve Anderson issued a statement on Wednesday as the U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee marked up legislation that includes some aspects of pharmacy benefit manager reform. The legislation—the Preserving Telehealth, Hospital, and Ambulance Access Act (H.R. 8261)—would delink PBM compensation from drug prices in Medicare Part D as a mechanism to offset the costs of the telehealth provisions. Anderson’s statement follows:

“The legislation passed by the House Ways and Means Committee today demonstrates yet again that reforming pharmaceutical benefit manipulation remains top-of-mind for members of Congress on a bipartisan basis. In fact, bipartisan leaders in Congress know the importance of advancing without further delay an even broader array of reforms in Medicare and Medicaid. The House Ways and Means Committees’ action is another step toward Congress’ acting on its responsibility to put people—and the pharmacies that serve them—over the middlemen’s profits. Together with extensive work by the Senate Finance Committee, the House Energy and Commerce Committee, and the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, the Congress has forged consensus on a meaningful approach to PBM reform.

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“It is imperative for this Congress to translate its diligent PBM reform work into results that reduce Americans’ prescription drug costs, that protect people’s access to their pharmacies and to their medications, and that prevent the harmful PBM tactics that turn the lights out on pharmacies in communities throughout the nation. The PBMs will do and say anything and everything to try to knock Congress off-task, yet today’s action is a further sign that leaders in Congress will stand strong on this issue that matters to Americans. We continue to encourage the Congress to enact real PBM reform now.”

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