Poll: Voters support generic drug transparency legislation

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Voters from all political parties support sunshine legislation that would make promote transparency in generic prescription drug payments by pharmacy benefit manager corporations, according to a national survey from the National Community Pharmacists Association released Tuesday.

The poll, which surveyed 1,200 likely voters, was conducted by Penn Schoen Berland and featured a series of “pro” and “con” statements about legislation focusing on generic drug payment transparency.

Well over half of voters (72%) voted in support of transparency legislation that would require PBMs to update generic drug reimbursements to independent pharmacies that would reveal market conditions.



“The cost of some generic prescription drugs are skyrocketing 1,000% or more virtually overnight, but PBM corporations may wait a month or longer to update reimbursement rates for these drugs,” Douglas Hoey, NCPA CEO and registered pharmacist, said. “They also don’t disclose their pricing methodology to pharmacies or health plan sponsors.”



When PBM corporations don’t disclose this methodology, independent pharmacies could lose at least $100 each time they fill a generic prescription, according to Hoey.



“That’s unsustainable for independent community pharmacies,” Hoey said. “Many have already had to pare back employee hours, cut employee positions or prescription drug services, or close their business altogether. We urge Congress and state legislatures to pass bipartisan bills to address this problem. In addition, Medicare officials should follow through on their regulation to ensure that these payment rates are updated.”

But reform is already on its way. In Congress, Reps. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) and Dave Loebsack (D-Iowa) presented bipartisan legislation through the MAC Transparency Act (H.R. 244), which supports expanding transparency in generic drug payment rates set by PBM corporations and requiring them to be updated in the Medicare, TRICARE and federal employee health programs.

Medicare will also introduce plans in 2016 that call for the regulation of monitoring PBM corporations’ increasing generic drug payment rates. So far, 24 states have produced legislation that addresses this issue.

According to a 2015 survey, 1,000 independent community pharmacists reported the negative impact of PBMs’ failure in updating reimbursement payments to pharmacies when generic medications have become more costly.