NCPA opposes proposed self-regulation deal for pharmacy benefit managers

The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) has voiced strong opposition to a reported proposal that would allow pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to self-regulate. The statement, released by NCPA CEO B. Douglas Hoey, comes in response to news that the lobbying group representing PBMs is negotiating with the administration on an arrangement that would enable these companies to oversee their own conduct.

“If this news report is accurate, we would strongly urge the administration to reject this gambit. Whatever they are promising to do, it would be foolish for the administration to trust the PBMs to regulate their behavior. They could have been doing that all along. But they have refused. In fact, they’ve litigated against every effort to regulate their behavior or just ignored the law,” said Hoey.

Hoey continued: “The fact is that the big PBMs are chronically and consistently the worst actors in health care. They’ve been found to overcharge states and have been fined hundreds of millions of dollars by multiple states for ripping off public benefits programs, driving up costs for American taxpayers. Their anticompetitive behavior is well documented by Congress, the Federal Trade Commission, and multiple national news investigations. Their self-dealing and cutthroat practices have triggered legislation in nearly every state. Thousands of patients are frustrated at the pharmacy counter every day as the PBMs overrule their doctor’s medication choice for a different medication that pays a bigger kickback to the PBM. And they are systematically destroying small business pharmacies across the country, driving up drug costs, and robbing patients of health care access. Allowing self-regulation would be like letting Al Capone police himself.”

The NCPA represents more than 18,900 community pharmacies across the United States and employs over 205,000 individuals nationwide. Community pharmacies play a key role as accessible health care providers in many local areas.

For additional information about NCPA's work and advocacy efforts regarding pharmacy regulation and patient access issues, visit www.ncpa.org.