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NCPA seeks scrutiny of PBM partnership

NCPA seeks scrutiny of PBM partnership

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - The National Community Pharmacists Association says that a partnership between two pharmacy benefit managers will harm local pharmacies.

In a letter to The National Association of Attorneys General, the NCPA asks for scrutiny of the partnership between Express Scripts and Prime Therapeutics.

Express Scripts is owned by Cigna and controls prescriptions for 75 million people; Prime Therapeutics is owned by a consortium of Blue Cross Blue Shield companies and covers more than 30 million people.

“These two companies operating separately already exert tremendous downward pressure on independent pharmacies. By joining forces, they can put many out of business and steer their patients to larger competitors,” said NCPA CEO B. Douglas Hoey, pharmacist, MBA. “There's nothing competitive or fair about that, and in the end, patients will lose access to their preferred local health care providers.”

The NCPA recently launched “The Truth,” a campaign that seeks to shine a light on PBM practices.

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