Perspectives: How PBMs Are Aiding Fight For Prescription-Drug Affordability

Orlando Sentinel: Pharmacy Managers Help Keep Prescription Costs Down
Our nation’s top priority is to get the upper hand on COVID-19 and vaccinate as many individuals, including the elderly and essential workers, as quickly as possible. CVS Health is proud to partner with the federal government in dozens of states to deliver more than 4.5 million vaccinations as of March 28, including over 249,000 doses to over 2,000 Florida skilled-nursing facilities, assisted-living centers, and other similar facilities. In the past year, millions of Americans have put their lives at risk to help care for patients with COVID-19 and other conditions, keep grocery stores and pharmacies stocked, educate students and provide many other necessary services. Their dedication has sustained us in these troubled times. (Travis Tate, 4/5)

South Florida Sun-Sentinel: It Is Time To Address The Bully In Florida’s Prescription Drug Program  
Florida is home to over 1,400 unique independent pharmacies, many that provide exceptional care and lead to lifelong relationships between patients and their pharmacy. As the relationship between providers, insurance companies and drug manufacturers has become more complex, the pharmacy benefit manager role was created to help manage claims. As pharmacy claims increased and became more complicated, the power of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) increased. PBMs, however, have little accountability, which allows them to engage in anti-competitive practices. (Jackie Toledo, 3/31)

The Star Tribune: Bipartisan Plan Can Cut Prescription Drugs Costs 
The centuries-old expression "Hobson's choice" indicates that one has to take or leave something offered. In other words, it might not even be a real choice. As policymakers from opposing sides of the aisle who often disagree, we're both big fans of policies that provide options that benefit Minnesota. This is particularly true when it comes to addressing rising health care costs and getting the best possible deal on prescription drug benefits for Minnesota state employees and taxpayers. (Michelle Benson and Michael Howard, 4/5)

Forbes: Inclusion Of H.R. 3 Drug Price Control Measures In Infrastructure Bill May Negatively Impact Drug Industry
After successfully passing the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, Democrats are setting their sights on another massive spending package that is centered around infrastructure. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has repeatedly said that measures to contain prescription drug pricing would be included in the infrastructure legislation. Specifically, Pelosi stated that “one of the considerations that members are discussing is whether we have aspects of H.R. 3, the Elijah Cummings Lower Drug Costs Now legislation” incorporated in the forthcoming infrastructure bill. (Joshua Cohen, 4/4)

The Washington Post: Drug Companies Keep Merging. Why That’s Bad For Consumers And Innovation. 
The Federal Trade Commission’s acting chairwoman, Rebecca Kelly Slaughter, recently announced that the agency would collaborate with regulators in Canada and the European Union to review its guidelines for evaluating drug company mergers. This move may signal more active policing of consolidation in the pharmaceutical industry. For prescription drug users and society at large, this is a welcome — and long overdue — change, one with the potential to spur innovation and offer more treatment options to Americans. (Robin Feldman, 4/6)

Yahoo Finance: Democrats May Finally Cut Some Drug Prices
Many politicians promise to do it, but none, so far, have been able to make a meaningful dent in prescription drug prices. Congressional Democrats are now signaling this may be the year something happens. Democrats need funding for the huge spending plans President Biden hopes to pass later this year. New revenue sources getting the most attention are proposed increases in the corporate tax rate, and higher income and capital gains taxes on the wealthiest Americans. (Rick Newman, 4/1)