In just  a few weeks NACDS RxIMPACT advocates gave Capitol Hill 5,000 reasons to reform PBM tactics to protect Americans on Medicare and Medicaid and their pharmacies. These thousands of constituent letters made a tremendous difference in the important PBM reform work conducted at the November 8 Senate Finance Committee and November 15 House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee meetings.

The U.S. House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health built on its work and approved the NACDS-backed Protecting Patients Against PBM Abuses Act (H.R. 2880) that would deter PBMs from steering patients, prohibit spread pricing in the Medicare Part D program, and increase transparency by requiring PBMs to report fees they receive from drug makers. It also passed H.R. 5393 that requires CMS to establish pharmacy quality measures in Part D and that includes important PBM transparency provisions.

A recent bipartisan vote of 26-0 approved a second Senate Finance Committee bill containing significant PBM reforms in Medicare and Medicaid. This bipartisan package adds important components to the Committee-passed Modernizing and Ensuring PBM Accountability Act. Collectively, these policies embody not only Medicaid reforms of the NACDS-backed Drug Price Transparency in Medicaid Act, but also Medicare reforms of the NACDS-backed Neighborhood Options for Patients Buying Medicines (NO PBMs) Act like the must-have ability to ensure ‘reasonable and relevant’ PBM contract terms in Medicare Part D, strong Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services enforcement provisions, and pharmacy quality measures/PBM transparency.

It is imperative to sustain momentum behind this crucial effort and advance PBM reform. This two-chamber momentum reflects a key opportunity to encourage cosponsorship of the House Neighborhood Options for Patients Buying Medicines (NO PBMs) Act which also includes the must-have ability to ensure ‘reasonable and relevant’ PBM contract terms in Medicare Part D. 

NACDS RxIMPACT is calling on YOU, and all others, to AGAIN channel your efforts to tell the House and Senate to stand strong and confront ‘pharmaceutical benefit manipulation’ in the legislative process. We know PBMs will attack and complicate these straightforward and necessary reforms in misleading ways. Help us share the powerful REAL PBM REFORM ad message and remind Congress, if all patients don’t benefit from this package, it’s not REAL PBM REFORM.

Simply click on the take action button below, type in your contact information, and the system will generate a personalized communication to your Representative and two Senators. If you have any questions or would like any assistance, please contact Heidi Ecker via telephone at 703-837-4121 or email at Hecker@nacds.org.