Former NCPA president urges action on PBM reform
By HME News Staff
Updated 8:49 AM CST, Thu February 27, 2025
WASHINGTON - Hugh Chancy, former president of the National Community Pharmacists Association and a co-owner of Chancy Drugs in Georgia, urged members of Congress to take immediate action and pass common-sense pharmacy benefit manager reforms during a recent House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health hearing that examined PBM reform policies. Emphasizing the important role of pharmacies like his in providing essential health care services to patients, he said this work is jeopardized by the vertically integrated PBMs that determine which patients can access their pharmacy, the prices patients pay, what reimbursements pharmacies receive and what medications are on formulary. “We are not asking for favorable treatment, but merely a level playing field,” said Chancy in a statement for the record. “I encourage lawmakers on both sides to continue to work in a bipartisan manner to pass these reforms that save $5 billion. If not, we will see more pharmacy deserts and less access to care.” NCPA is advocating for Congress to pass bipartisan reforms in any vehicle that will get across the finish line as soon as possible this year. Reforms would enhance transparency and eliminate spread pricing in Medicaid managed care programs and require CMS to define and enforce reasonable and relevant contract terms in Medicare Part D, which would improve patient access to medications. They would also lower costs for patients, create a fairer playing field for community pharmacies and produce billions in taxpayer savings, the NCPA says.
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