Breaking News: PBM reform bill advances in Senate vote
More good news for independent pharmacies – a PBM reform bill advances in Senate vote. On July 26, the U. S. Senate voted 26-1 to advance the Modernizing and Ensuring PBM Accountability Act to a vote of the full Senate. This vote is a big step for independent pharmacies because this PBM reform package contains several provisions to enhance transparency into PBM-insurer operations, improve patient access to community pharmacies, and ensure fair pharmacy reimbursements that are based on actual acquisition and dispensing costs.
After a full U.S. Senate vote, the next step would be a vote in the House of Representatives. No date has been set for that, however.
The package also contains language from two other bills: the Drug Price Transparency in Medicaid Act (S. 1038), which creates a fairer reimbursement rate for pharmacies operating in Medicaid managed care, and the Protect Patient Access to Pharmacies Act (S. 2052), which reforms Medicare Part D by clarifying and providing enforcement tools for the any willing pharmacy law. NCPA has more details about the PBM reform bill that advanced in Senate vote