Over 2000 local pharmacies have closed since January of 2024.  

Optum RX, CVS Caremark, & Express Scripts are pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) that own mail order pharmacies that they heavily steer and force many patients to use. The closures of independent pharmacies are significantly tied to the practices of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), particularly their forcing to mail-order pharmacies and their tendency to reimburse competitor pharmacies below the cost of medications. This shift not only decreases the volume of prescriptions filled at independent pharmacies but also erodes their customer base, making it challenging for them to maintain a profit.

Simultaneously, PBMs frequently set reimbursement rates that fall below the actual costs incurred by pharmacies in dispensing medications. This practice creates a financial strain, as independent pharmacies struggle to cover expenses like staff salaries, rent, and inventory. With declining revenues from both mail-order competition and inadequate reimbursements, many independent pharmacies find it increasingly difficult to sustain operations, leading to closures.

As these pharmacies shut down, communities lose vital access to personalized care and medication management services, which are essential for patient health. The growing reliance on PBM-affiliated mail-order pharmacies not only threatens the existence of local pharmacies but also limits patient choices, ultimately undermining the overall quality of healthcare available in those communities.

What can you do to help? 

• Write your member of congress and ask them to cosponsor HR 9096, The Pharmacists Fight Back Act. This legislation would help ensure patient choice of pharmacy for many.
• Make a donation to support our advocacy.

Thank you, 

Loretta Boesing, Patient Advocate

loretta@uniteforsafemeds.org