Arlington, VA – National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) President and CEO Steven C. Anderson issued the following statement today after a full committee markup of additional PBM reform bills by the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee:
“NACDS applauds the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s bipartisan collaboration and ongoing work to deliver meaningful PBM reform that is essential for all Americans and for all pharmacies that serve them. Real PBM reform at the federal level must protect the most vulnerable Americans on Medicare and Medicaid and their pharmacies — otherwise it is PBM reform in name only.
“The two-day House Energy and Commerce Committee markup included the bipartisan passage of three pieces of legislation including important PBM reforms: H.R. 5393, which would standardize PBMs’ pharmacy performance metrics and which passed 44-0; H.R. 5385, which would create reporting requirements for PBMs under Medicare Part D and which passed 44-0; and H.R. 2880, which would prohibit PBMs participating in Medicare Part D from linking their service fees to a drug’s list price and which passed 46-0.
“We continue to see clear alignment between committee action in the U.S. House and Senate on PBM reforms for Medicare and Medicaid. NACDS is also emphasizing the critical importance of the Neighborhood Options for Patients Buying Medicines (NO PBMs) Act and vital enforcement provisions, which have been included in legislation passed by the Senate Finance Committee and which merit a commitment to action in the House. H.R. 5400 is crucial for reasonable and relevant PBM contract terms in Medicare, as opposed to the middlemen’s pharmaceutical benefit manipulation that devastates seniors and pharmacies today.”
NACDS urges the U.S. Congress to capitalize on this historic and bipartisan momentum, and to prevent PBMs from complicating and derailing the legislation and the process. A cable, broadcast, and digital ad by NACDS emphasizes this vital theme of “real reform” – calling on the U.S. Congress to stop PBM’s abusive tactics, while also strengthening oversight of PBMs, ensuring accountability, transparency and fairness.
