NCPA: Congress ‘Fumbled a Chance’ to Include PBM Reform in Spending Bill
The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) said the latest short-term spending package that will fund the federal government into mid March wasted an opportunity to introduce much-needed pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) reform.
In a Dec. 20 announcement, NCPA CEO B. Douglas Hoey said leaving PBM reform out of the spending bill signed on Dec. 21 by President Joe Biden was “a clear miss by Congress, and we are extremely disappointed. PBM reform would rein in the big health insurance lobby, save taxpayers $5 billion, and throw a lifeline to the thousands of small, family-owned pharmacies that are on the brink of closure.
“While Congress stripped down the package to avert a government shutdown, they left meaningful reform out in the cold. This omission affected not just independent pharmacy — scores of productive legislative proposals in the health-care space that were included in the original package were left out, ensuring that this bill only extended expiring programs through March 14.”
Hoey urged Congress to prioritize PBM reform in the new year. “Every day they delay reform, another small pharmacy will close, or be pushed closer to edge, because of the business practices of big health insurers and their PBM henchmen,” he said. “We strongly encourage our many champions in Congress to make PBM reform an immediate priority. We encourage them to pass the health provisions as a stand-alone bill, so they don’t get buried under another mountain of spending provisions that can’t pass. They should do this as soon as possible in 2025.”
NHIA Calls for Board Member Candidates
The National Home Infusion Association (NHIA) is calling for applications to join the organization’s board of directors.
In a Dec. 27 news announcement, the NHIA said board members serve three-year terms and must be provider members. Currently, the NHIA is seeking applications for the following:
— National provider: multi-site organization with 20 or more locations.
— Hospital provider: wholly owned and operated as part of an acute care system.
— At-large providers (2): any type of provider.
Interested providers should send a letter of interest to NHIA President/CEO Connie Sullivan by Jan. 24. Additional criteria for the application are available on the NHIA’s website.
