PCMA Statement On Released Text Of Continuing Resolution

(Washington, D.C.) — The Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) released the following statement on the inclusion of substantial, misguided policies targeting prescription drug benefits, in both Medicare and the commercial marketplace, in the text of a proposed government funding package:

“The inclusion of costly, unvetted health care provisions in the released text of the year-end spending package would be disastrous for America’s employers, patients, families, and taxpayers.

“Seniors will face further disruption to their drug plans, higher premiums, and may lose Medicare Part D coverage as they know it. The so-called ‘delinking’ policy in the Medicare Part D program would hike premiums for seniors by  $13 billion  and hand Big Pharma a financial windfall of  $10 billion , according to University of Chicago Professor of Economics Casey Mulligan.

“At the same time, employers will be dealt an unprecedented government intrusion into their commercial market contracting. No longer will they have the final say on their contracts with pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). Simply put, they will have fewer choices for providing patients access to needed medications.

“This bill does nothing to lower costs, nothing to improve pharmacy access, nothing to benefit patients. And that is because Congress is choosing to release 1,547 pages of new text hours before a vote, leaving no time to thoroughly review the provisions that will have serious consequences for our health care system.

“We urge Congress to put America’s patients, employers, and seniors over Big Pharma’s profits and reject this far overreaching health care package.”

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PCMA is the national association representing America’s pharmacy benefit companies. Pharmacy benefit companies are working every day to secure savings, enable better health outcomes, and support access to quality prescription drug coverage for more than 275 million patients.