Benham, pharmacists call on state Senate to pass PBM reform
“Over 140 pharmacies have closed in our Commonwealth since the beginning of the year,” said Dr. Mayank “Dr. Mak” Amin, the owner of Skippack Pharmacy. “While I stand here and celebrate our pharmacy’s 5th anniversary, we are also bleeding due to poor reimbursements and patient steering. Community pharmacies like Skippack Pharmacy vaccinated over 100,000 patients during the pandemic and provided critical supplies to those in need, but what will save community pharmacies like ours?"
Rep. Jessica Benham July 3, 2024 | 9:25 AM
HARRISBURG, July 3 – With her Save the Pharmacies Tour across the Commonwealth, state Rep. Jessica Benham has continued to meet with local pharmacists and hear their concerns about how unfair practices of pharmacy benefits managers, more commonly referred to as PBMs, are impacting their ability to stay open and serve their communities.
During the past week and a half of budget negotiations, Benham has met with Sloan’s Pharmacy in Lancaster County and Lewisburg Pharmacy in Union County; she was also honored to speak in Montgomery County on Friday at Skippack Pharmacy’s 5th Anniversary Party to celebrate the House passage of H.B. 1993.
“As I continue to hear from community pharmacists throughout Pennsylvania about the uncertainty of their future as PBMs under-reimburse them for services, I am calling on the state Senate to pass PBM reform now,” said Benham, D-Allegheny. “The House has done our part – we’ve passed H.B. 1993 – and we are standing up for community pharmacies in the face of unprecedented corporate greed. Now is the time for the Senate to act.”
“Over 140 pharmacies have closed in our Commonwealth since the beginning of the year,” said Dr. Mayank “Dr. Mak” Amin, the owner of Skippack Pharmacy. “While I stand here and celebrate our pharmacy’s 5th anniversary, we are also bleeding due to poor reimbursements and patient steering. Community pharmacies like Skippack Pharmacy vaccinated over 100,000 patients during the pandemic and provided critical supplies to those in need, but what will save community pharmacies like ours? We are running out of oxygen and need PBM reform now.”
“PBM reform to allow oversight and transparency needs to be enacted immediately for the very survival of independent pharmacies. Without H.B. 1993 headed by Rep. Benham, we will close. It is not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when,” said Timothy Zuch and Jacob Sherk, co-owners of Sloan’s Pharmacy.
“The bipartisan nature and overwhelming number of yes votes on this bill was amazing and unheard of in this political environment,” said Eric Pusey, owner of Better Health Pharmacy & Wellness in Lackawanna County. “I hope that the Senate will see the wisdom of H.B. 1993 and move it along quickly for the governor to sign. This bill is a win not just for my store and my employees, but for all the residents of our state.”
“I’m grateful to Rep. Benham for her support of small businesses like ours. The people in small towns across Pennsylvania depend on community pharmacies,” said Dave Cippel, president of Klingensmith Pharmacy in Armstrong County.
“We appreciate the willingness of all parties to come to the table and negotiate, and hope to reach a deal on PBM reform that meets the needs of community pharmacies soon,” said Rick Seipp of Value Drug Company in Blair County.
Photos from Benham’s Save the Pharmacies Tour are available here.