Pharmacy Pains – Praying for Gains

Local pharmacies are part of our community — they give medicine, vaccines, and help when people are sick. PBM practices that hide how money moves and pay pharmacies too little are closing these stores. We ask lawmakers to stop unfair PBM practices now so pharmacies and patients are protected.

The problem (plain language)

• Pharmacies are closing fast. Many have shut their doors in the last few years. This means fewer places to pick up medicine or get a vaccine. (AP News)
• Independent pharmacies report being squeezed by low payments and surprise fees. Many owners say they might close because they can’t make enough money to stay open. (NCPA)
• The Federal Trade Commission and others are looking into big PBMs for practices that may raise drug prices and harm patients. These legal fights show PBM behavior is already under scrutiny. (Federal Trade Commission)

Why action must be fast

If PBMs keep using secret fees and low reimbursements, more pharmacies will close. That raises the risk of “pharmacy deserts” — places where people have no nearby pharmacy at all. This hurts older people, low-income families, and people who need medicines the most. (Axios)

• Nearly 30% of U.S. drugstores closed between 2010 and 2021. This has hit vulnerable communities the hardest. (AP News)
• Industry reports show the number of independent pharmacies declined from 19,432 (June 2023) to 18,984 (June 2024). (NCPA)
• Surveys find a large share of independent pharmacists are considering closing because of cashflow and payment problems. (NCPA)
• Legal actions and federal investigations are underway into major PBMs for practices that may be anticompetitive or raise drug prices. (Federal Trade Commission)
• Hundreds of pharmacy storefronts reported closed in a recent period when PBM reform stalled in Congress. (Industry tracking reported 300+ closures in a recent few months.) (Drug Topics)

Additional Pertinent Information: 

• Health Affairs study on pharmacy closures and risk of closure. (healthaffairs.org)
• NCPA Digest — independent pharmacy counts and industry data. (NCPA)
• Drug Topics reporting on pharmacy storefront closures. (Drug Topics)
• Federal Trade Commission page on PBM investigations and enforcement. (Federal Trade Commission)
• News reporting on state and local pharmacy shortages (examples: Oregon coverage, national reporting). (Axios)

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