I was blessed to be able to speak at Missouri's Pharmacy Legislative Day. The room was packed with over 500 pharmacy students, pharmacists, and pharmaceutical professionals. Since I began my advocacy, I am overwhelmed by the number of patients who are having issues. I think about the many patients every day as I try to raise awareness for patients across our country.
Pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) like Express Scripts, Optum RX, and CVS Caremark are in charge of determining what medications are covered, the pharmacy that we can access, and how much pharmacies are reimbursed. It's no wonder why they force us to the pharmacy that 's owned by the same company that owns the PBM. As they reimburse our trusted pharmacies much lower than they reimburse themselves, this should be considered a conflict of interest.
Before speaking, a patient gave me permission to share her story. She's pregnant and in need of medications to prevent her from going into preterm labor. Her insurance mandates her to mail-order pharmacy. She's been waiting over 7 days. Every day, her baby's life is at risks. This doesn't make sense.
When I hear stories like these, I wish I could just scream help us and legislators would run to the rescue of their voters and patients.
They won't hear just me, but if we could get together 3-10 people and fill our legislators' rooms full of patients and their supporters educating them and begging for help, they may listen.
I can't do this by myself. I need you and every single person who cares about this issue to go into action. Please help. They will not listen to me, but they may listen to us.
A legislator that we met with said that when the PBM's lobbyist come into their rooms one after another claiming cost saving that it is hard not to listen to them. We must let them know that their cost savings have led to price gouging and has been shown to leave patients and their voters without critical medications. Their cost reduction is actually the corner cutting that causes at least thousands of patients to risk their lives as the companies that own the PBMs sit on the fortune 50 lists bringing in billions of dollars in revenues.
We will not give up.
Thank you so much for your support.
Please sign the change.org petitions.
https://www.change.org/p/attn-all-legistlatures-state-board
https://www.change.org/p/attn-all-attorneys-general-hold-cv
https://www.change.org/p/pay-independent-and-hospital-pharm
You may also donate to my advocacy through our website.https://www.uniteforsafemeds.com/donate-1
Share your story: loretta@uniteforsafemeds.com
Twitter: @BoesingLoretta
Facebook Page: Issues with Mail Order Pharmacy @justamomwholovesherson