Pennsylvania lawmakers throw support behind community pharmacists
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Community pharmacists have asked lawmakers to throw them a life preserver, and now those lawmakers are stepping in.
KDKA-TV highlighted the plight of the community pharmacist last month. They said pharmacy benefit managers are making it impossible for them to pay their bills.
On Wednesday, Democrats and Republicans from the state and federal government showed support for community pharmacists.
"We take care of people in need," said Eddie DeCaria, owner of Porter's Pharmacy. "We deliver medications. We get to know them by name. We go above and beyond to make sure they're taken care of."
He is fighting for transparency on the tactics he said are running his friends out of business. They blame benefit managers who charge insurance companies one price for the medication but reimburse pharmacists a much lower number. It has sparked what's called "PBM reform."
"What's wrong here?" Congressman Chris Deluzio said. "You got big corporations, big powerful pharmaceutical interests trying to make record profits off of health care."
Those politicians on Wednesday said they will throw their support behind legislation working its way through the state House and Senate. Rep. Jessica Benham said it will create transparency in a process she says has purposefully left pharmacists and consumers in the dark.
"I've introduced a piece of legislation to level the playing field and help make the system fair, so no matter where you fill your prescription, your pharmacy can continue operating," Benham said.
KDKA-TV asked Benham to explain why lawmakers want the state's insurance department to make things right.
"The state insurance department has an oversight rule and they need to be empowered to use it," she said. "So, when it comes to PBMs right now, like I described, they are the shadowy middleman. We don't have the authority on the state level to request the kinds of records that we would need in order."