A little over a month ago, I traveled to Florida to speak on behalf of historical patient choice of pharmacy legislation. I shared my son's story and spoke alongside many other pharmacists, physicians, patients, caregivers, and advocates.
Express Scripts, Optum RX, and CVS Caremark are pharmacy benefit managers or PBMs that have merged with insurance companies and often force patients to their own pharmacies.
During the signing of the legislation, the governor stated, "PBMs can't steer you to their vertically integrated mail order. If you want to go to your local pharmacy and get it, you should have the right to be able to do that. If you want to do the mail, you can, but PBMs shouldn't be able to force to their own mail order pharmacy just because it makes them more money."
The governor also mentioned that the legislators were lobbied very heavily. We are fighting against the wealthiest billion-dollar corporations in our nation. My representative told me that for every patient he sees, seven lobbyists are behind them, telling a different story. This is why our voices in increasing numbers matters.
As more states increasingly understand the many ways pharmacy benefit managers harm patients and their communities' access and affordability of medications, congress is beginning to feel the pressure to regulate PBMs nationally. This is important for the many types of plans that are primarily regulated at a federal level, such as Medicare, Tricare for veterans and military, and large employer-sponsored health plans.
We need to increase the pressure to full force at this critical moment. This is our time to save the lives of patients like my son. We need your voices and your support.
Next week, on May 12th, PBM and drug manufacturer CEOs with be in front of US Senators of the HELP Committee. I'll be watching and listening closely and look forward to providing our supporters with an update.
Thank you,
Loretta Boesing, Patient Advocate
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Email: Loretta@uniteforsafemedications.com