In The News | 2026 The Year of Fighting Back

Dispense Times

Author: Monique Whitney, PUTT Executive Director

For years, small business pharmacies have withstood oppressive PBM anti-competitive practices and other market forces that thave pushed otherwise larger legacy pharmacies to the brink of closure. Still, in 2026 there are fewer independent pharmacies left to serve the growing ranks of patients needing access to affordable medication and care. There are also fewer advocates left to fight for you, your business and the pharmacy profession.

Your profession needs you - the person reading this missive - to join this critical fight, and we've outlined what we see are the major initiatives to fight for in 2026:

H.R. 6609 and H.R. 6610 - The Pharmacists Fight Back Act

Representatives Jake Auchincloss (D-MA), Diana Harshbarger (R-TN) and Charman James Comer (R-KY) introduced H.R. 6609 and H.R. 6610, collectively called the Pharmacists Fight Back Act (PFBA) last month at a Capitol Hill news conference that was attended by 55 pharmacists from 22 states.

The reforms introduced in these bills apply to the federally-funded Medicaid and Medicare (H.R. 6609) and Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan employees and retirees (H.R. 6610), but they model legislation that should be introduced at the state level, including NADAC+ indexed reimbursement plus state Medicaid dispensing fee as determined by CMS; and 4 percent, not-to-exceed-$50 margin per prescription. The PFBA includes several other reforms inclusing a prohibition on patient steering and criminal penalties for violating the law. Our goal in 2026 is to see PFBA cross the finish line florr vote and enactment.

How You Can Help: Contact your Congressional representative and ask them to cosponsor H.R. 6609 and H.R. 6610. If your state or national pharmacy organization is advocating for PFBA, join and actively participate in their campaign. Better yet, join Pharmacists United for Truth and Transparency (PUTT)'s PFBA Working Group (you don't have to be a member of PUTT to join PUTT project groups).

Audit TRICARE, Audit Express Scripts

A few years ago TRICARE patients and their community pharmacies of choice were given a raw deal when Express Scripts issues new contracts with untenable terms. Most pharmacies couldn't afford to stay in the TRICARE network and now we know why: Prices posted on TRICARE's patient portal for the most commonly prescribed generic medications strongly suggest Express Scripts has been taking advantage of TRICARE enrollees and the federal government... Continue Reading