Hi Supporters,
Update: After the five-person panel discussion was over, legislators were invited to join the conversation. You may need to rewind to the beginning. In the midst of the discussion, they were quick to jump to the hot topic of Trump vs. Biden. This issue with pharmacy benefits is bipartisan, meaning that both parties are seeking change in this industry. Republican or Democrat, these issues with drug pricing and access will impact everyone in some way.
Some may be interested in this discussion.
Not only do three pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) force their own mail-order pharmacies, but they also distort drug prices without limits to their advantage. Forcing to their own mail order pharmacies allows them to more easily hide the pricing mark ups. The largest three PBMs are Optum RX, CVS Caremark, and Express Scripts. Sometimes, we will hear drug manufacturers set the price. The truth is PBMs negotiate the price and the PBMs can mark up that price as they force their own mail-order and retail pharmacies. Sometimes the mark up is 10 times to 100 times the cash price of medications.
Please listen closely to Antonio Ciaccia. We are a huge fan of his work.
Thank you,
Loretta Boesing, Patient Advocate