Your local independent, community pharmacy is under attack!!
A national survey of pharmacists recently found:
- 58% of local pharmacies are likely to close in next 2 years
- 48% of local pharmacies expect to reduce staff in the next year to cut costs (or have already started)
- 77% of local pharmacists say they’ll be forced to try to cut costs by reducing the amount of money and support they give to community organizations.
Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) act as a middleman between patients, insurance companies, and pharmacies. In fact, 85% of all prescriptions in the US are controlled by the 3 largest PBMs. There are NO guidelines on the fees that they charge and these get passed to community pharmacies AND to patients (YOU!!) and they are not regulated. They are driving up healthcare costs! PBMs can also force you to use a specific pharmacy and take away your choice in where you get your prescriptions filled.
The cause of much of this is that the PBMs charge what is called DIR fees. These are fees that are charged to the pharmacy after the prescription leaves the pharmacy, typically 4-12 months after the prescription is filled. These fees are crippling YOUR independent pharmacy.
Our government has a part in the policies that dictate what PBMs can and cannot do. If you enjoy your local pharmacy and feel they are an asset to the community, you can help. Please contact your representative or senator to voice your concern.
We have included some talking points below:
- We need total PBM reform now
- Stop DIR fees immediately
- Increase transparency with PBMs
- I want to keep my community pharmacy
Senator Roger Wicker: 662-844-5010
Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith: 662-236-1018
Representative Trent Kelly: 662-841-8808
