NACDS commends enactment of Florida bill holding PBMs accountable
Following Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' signing of pharmacy benefit manager reform legislation into law, Steve Anderson, president and CEO of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, released the following statement:
“For far too long, PBM middlemen have manipulated Florida’s healthcare system, restricting patients’ access, driving up drug costs and threatening pharmacies. With SB 1550 being signed into law today, Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Legislature have sent a clear message that they are putting Florida patients first.”
[Read more: NCPA, NACDS commend House committee investigation on PBMs]
NACDS is working at the federal and state levels to advance bipartisan momentum for the PBM reform that is needed for patients, employers, taxpayers, communities, and pharmacies. NACDS’ pro-patient and pro-pharmacy Principles of PBM Reform include the following:
- Stop explosive retroactive fees;
- Stop below-cost reimbursement;
- Stop gaming of performance measures;
- Stop “specialty definitions” from steering patients from their pharmacy;
- Stop mandatory mail order;
- Stop limited networks;
- Stop overwhelming audits; and
- Stop the undercutting of PBM reform laws.
[Read more: AAM report: Middlemen increasingly block patient access to new generics]
A poll conducted by Morning Consult Dec. 7-12, 2022, and commissioned by NACDS found that 78% of Florida adults say pharmacists are “very credible” or “somewhat credible” sources when it comes to information about how to save money on prescription drugs—ranking them highest among those tested. Also, 87% of Florida adults say it is “very easy” or “somewhat easy” to access pharmacies—ranking them the most accessible healthcare destinations tested.