PUTT, PSSNY Asked to Provide Summary Recommendations to White House for Drug Pricing Reform

9/17/2020

Dr. David Gortler, PharmD, FCCP, a 2nd generation independent pharmacist and the first pharmacist to be appointed to a senior advisory position with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and PUTT Executive Director Monique Whitney co-authored a Summary Proposal of Recommendations to lower drug prices which was submitted to the Trump Administration on Monday, Sept. 14th.

Pharmacists Society of the State of New York (PSSNY), the Louisiana Independent Pharmacies Association (LIPA), and several other pharmacy organizations contributed to the document, which was submitted at the request of senior ranking trade advisors.

The 27-page plan contained a series of recommendations focused on strict PBM reform measures. Guidelines submitted included:

Eliminate “safe harbor” protections for rebate kickbacks
Create nationwide “Any Willing Provider” (AWP) laws
Bar PBMs from using profit-motivated, anti-patient delay tactics
Require PBMs to be pharmacy benefits plan administrators (PBAs)
End Direct and Indirect Remuneration (DIR) fees
Require PBMs to reimburse pharmacies at CMS’ National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC)
Lobby Congress to allow FDA oversight of large prescription mail order facilities
Empower the federal government and states to rein in abusive PBM practices in the commercial market

PUTT is proud to have been requested to assist the federal government with reform that could benefit all patients, providers, and pharmacies. This is one of the many ways we are working on behalf of our members and we will continue to push for state and federal reform until PBM abuse is eradicated.

To view an excerpt from the summary recommendations document click here
To view the full submitted document click here

5 Comments

Danny D

9/18/2020 08:23:03 am

Thank you for addressing the unregulated and self serve PBMs, which are making greedy profits at expensive of patient health, insurers, and provider’s service just a few to name. Regulate PBM.

Jeremy Counts link

9/18/2020 12:11:43 pm

You are welcome Danny! We are fighting every day to push back against these criminal organizations!

Craig Sicinski link

9/18/2020 05:30:41 pm

Thank you PUTT!
PBM REFORM IS OVER DUE.

Gary Boehler

9/21/2020 04:41:41 pm

Monique and PUTT members,

I joined PUTT about six months ago and continue to engage with PUTT and fight the battle against the most egregious business model in the country - legalized theft of money from drug manufacturers, patients, plan sponsors, taxpayers, and independent pharmacies; all of which has been and continues to be contrived by PBMs, three of which control at least 80% of the prescription drug market in the U.S. This is likely the biggest oligopoly in the U.S. and much closer to monopolization of a market instead of the definition of an oligopoly.

We all need to join the fight as pharmacists and rid the U.S. of this most heinous model that has grown slowly since 1970, but far more rapidly in the past 10 years. PBMs simply use prescriptions as a commodity to fatten their own wallets and those of their shareholders at anyone else's expense they run into. Let's all work together to regulate PBMs and start the process with mandatory fiduciary responsibility, and let's stop the PBMs from hiding behind ERISA. The time has come. Gary

Kam chan

10/15/2020 12:18:53 am

I’m an entrepreneur, and past retail/LTC PharmD RPh who is passionate about our profession. I am eager to learn and get involved to see how we can evolve our profession and fight those who penetrated our profession just to make profits and hinder our impact as a vital part of the healthcare system. Let me know how I can help and be involved.

The PUTT Blog

PUTT, PSSNY Asked to Provide Summary Recommendations to White House for Drug Pricing Reform

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