Senior Care Pharmacy Coalition (SCPC) Suggests Two PBM Transparency Refinements to Senate Finance Committee Drug Pricing Bill
Washington, DC – In previously noting that capping Medicare beneficiaries’ out-of-pocket costs as low as possible is a primary long-term care (LTC) pharmacy advocacy priority as Congress debates drug pricing reform legislation, the Senior Care Pharmacy Coalition (SCPC) also recommended two pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) transparency provisions be included in the pending Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act of 2019 (S. 2543).
“SCPC applauds Chairman Grassley and Ranking Member Wyden for already including in the bill disclosure provisions for PBMs to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) — and for CMS to the public — which would significantly benefit consumers,” stated Alan G. Rosenbloom, President and CEO of SCPC.
As the legislation moves forward, Rosenbloom said SCPC recommends two additional policy refinements related to PBM transparency:
- More marketplace competition must be a companion to additional PBM transparency, as transparency alone will not address the increasingly oligopolistic nature of the pharmaceutical marketplace and LTC pharmacies’ place within it;
- Provisions that require reporting of information specific to retail pharmacies should logically be expanded to require reporting of data specific to LTC pharmacies.
“We look forward to working with the Chairman, Ranking Member and members of the Senate Finance Committee to advance a positive, bipartisan bill and improve it for the benefit of the nation’s independent long-term care pharmacies and the elderly, vulnerable patients they serve,” Rosenbloom concluded.
####
The Senior Care Pharmacy Coalition (SCPC) is the only national organization exclusively representing the interests of LTC pharmacies. Its members operate in all 50 states and serve 850,000 patients daily in skilled nursing and assisted living facilities across the country. Visit seniorcarepharmacies.org to learn more.
Recent Posts
-
LTC pharmacies demand ‘sustainable’ payment model ahead of 2026 drug-pricing changes
Many of the nation’s long-term care pharmacies are going to fall below “break-even” and may be forced out of business without additional support when drug-pricing policy changes kick in, sector advocates warned Wednesday.
-
Senior Care Pharmacy Coalition Launches “Save Senior Rx Care” to Protect Senior Access to Life-Saving Medications and Services
Led by the Senior Care Pharmacy Coalition (SCPC), America’s long-term care (LTC) pharmacies are launching Save Senior Rx Care, a new campaign urging Congress to protect access to life-saving medications and services for the millions of Americans who need long-term care.
-
New Report Underscores Unique Role LTC Pharmacies Play in Serving Complex Needs of Medicare Beneficiaries in Long-Term Care
A new report from the Senior Care Pharmacy Coalition (SCPC), the nation’s leading voice for long-term care (LTC) pharmacies, and ATI Advisory (ATI) highlights the clinical and functional complexity faced by millions of Medicare beneficiaries residing in nursing facilities and assisted living.
Stay in the Know
Get the latest news and updates on issues impacting the long-term pharmacy community.