Tell your NYS elected officials to support the “Patient Access to Pharmacy Act”
And OPINION by Kasey Klingensmith, Alfred Station, NY
Across the country, pharmacies are closing at alarming rates, about one a day in 2023, with independent pharmacies especially vulnerable. A major factor in these closings are pharmacy reimbursement rates that do not cover pharmacy costs for medicines.
Pharmacy benefit managers, PBM’s, are companies that act as intermediates between pharmacies and insurance companies. PBM’s determine drug prices and reimbursement rates which can differ from pharmacy to pharmacy with many pharmacies filling prescriptions at a loss.
New York legislators have proposed a bipartisan bill that would address below-cost pharmacy reimbursement rates by requiring PBM’s to pay reimbursement rates that cover drug costs plus a professional dispensing fee. It is called the Patient Access to Pharmacy Act, an act to amend the public health law and the insurance law relating to payments by a PBM to participating pharmacies (Senate Bill S5939 and Assembly Bill A5882). It is currently in the Senate Health Committee.
Along with pharmacy closings, come pharmacy deserts. Timely and easy access to medications, not having to wait in long lines, having a pharmacist who knows you and is willing to explain or answer questions, knowing if an emergency happened you could get needed medications without delay; all of these disappear with the loss of community pharmacies. I am fortunate to live in a community that has a pharmacy, Alfred Pharmacy, and appreciate all of the benefits mentioned above and more.
It’s time for the pharmacy reimbursement rate to be fair. Therefore, I am supporting the Patient Access to Pharmacy Act (Senate Bill S5939 and Assembly Bill A5882).
If you would like to support this bill, please call or write your NY State Senator and your NY State Assembly Member. Encourage them to vote to pass the bill. You could also call/write your Allegany County Legislators (alleganyco.gov) to support the bill.
To read the full text of the Patient Access to Pharmacy Act (Senate Bill S5939 and Assembly Bill A5882), go to nysenate.gov or nyassembly.gov. You can also find your Senator or Assembly Member there.
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