Two New Bills To Tackle PBM Anti-Competitive Practices Announced during APA’s News Conference Thursday
The Arkansas Pharmacists Association held a news conference at on Thursday, Jan. 16th to call for public and legislative support for stronger regulation of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) in Arkansas. Association members, patients and state legislators will discuss plans to protect Arkansas patients from higher drug prices, reduced pharmacy choice and worse care as a result of PBM self-dealing and anticompetitive practices. Watch it here…
We are pleased to announce that Arkansas State Representative Jeremiah Moore and Arkansas State Senator Kim Hammer filed an act to Prohibit a Healthcare Payor or a Pharmacy Benefits Manager From Obtaining Certain Pharmacy Permits. This legislation will ban PBMs from owning pharmacies in Arkansas. recent finding from the Federal Trade Commission, US House Oversight, New York Times and the Wall Street Journal have found this vertical integration to be anti-competitive, forcing many pharmacies across the nation to shutter, resulting decreased patient access and hirer drug prices.
In other news, Senator Jonathan Dismang and Rep. Jon Eubanks filed SB58. This legislation would remove the prohibition on nonprofit, tax-exempt, or governmentally funded hospitals from obtaining a licensed pharmacy permit for the retail sale of drugs. APA opposes this legislation in its current version. As stated in the bill title, it allows nonprofit, tax exempt and governmentally funded hospitals to own and operate community pharmacies and out of state mail order pharmacies.
Finally, we urge APA members and patients to sign the petition at RxReformNow.com to say you deserve fair prices, local access and better care. Thank you for your support.
