PUTT Press Release | Pharmacists United for Truth & Transparency Applauds Introduction of Bipartisan "Rx ACCESS Act" for Military Families

Bill Sponsored by Senators Tom Cotton and Tim Kaine Would Restore Patient Choice, Ban Hidden PBM Fees, and Bring Transparency to TRICARE Pharmacy Benefits

WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 18, 2026) — Pharmacists United for Truth and Transparency (PUTT)  today praised the introduction of the “Rx Access, Choice, Cost Equity, and Supply Stability” Act (Rx ACCESS Act), bipartisan legislation sponsored by U.S. Senators Tom Cotton (R-AR) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) that would strengthen pharmacy access for TRICARE beneficiaries, including active-duty military members, veterans, and their families.

If enacted, the Rx ACCESS Act would allow eligible TRICARE beneficiaries to receive non-generic maintenance medications through any in-network retail pharmacy of their choosing — restoring a freedom that has eroded as pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) increasingly steer patients toward mail-order and PBM-owned pharmacies.

“Rx ACCESS prioritizes patients by addressing some of the most problematic practices in TRICARE’s pharmacy benefits program: steering patients away from their pharmacy of choice; reimbursement practices that undercut the pharmacy’s long-term sustainability; hidden fees; and a lack of independent oversight. We are proud to support the Rx ACCESS Act and thank Senators Tom Cotton and Tim Kaine for their leadership in putting our military and their families first,” said Monique Whitney, PUTT Executive Director.

The bill also takes direct aim at unfair reimbursement practices that have pushed independent and community pharmacies to the financial breaking point. Under the Rx ACCESS Act, PBMs administering the TRICARE pharmacy benefit would be required to reimburse retail pharmacies at not less than the actual acquisition cost of a drug or the national average drug acquisition cost (NADAC) — plus a professional dispensing fee equal to the rate paid by the pharmacist's state under Medicaid. 

Rx ACCESS would also ban hidden fees that PBMs commonly impose on pharmacies — including point-of-sale fees, retroactive fees, and other indirect charges that quietly claw back from pharmacy reimbursements, and establish mandatory annual audits of TRICARE-contracted PBMs by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). These independent reviews would examine reimbursement rates, price concessions, and the adequacy of the retail pharmacy network — including geographic access in rural and underserved communities. Results would be reported directly to Congress, and contractors would be required to cooperate fully, bringing a level of transparency to TRICARE pharmacy administration that has long been absent.

PUTT first began calling attention to questionable prescription drug pricing for U.S. military members, veterans and their families, creating an interactive website called AuditTRICARE.org that compared the cost of commonly prescribed medications under TRICARE to the same medications if purchased at the cash (non insurance) price.

Pharmacists United for Truth and Transparency is a national non-profit organization dedicated to advocating for fair pharmacy practices, transparent PBM operations, and policies that protect patient access to care. For more information about PUTT or how the largest, vertically-integrated PBMs contribute to higher drug prices at the pharmacy counter, please see TruthRx.org.

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