(Washington, DC)—The Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) issued the following statement in response to a press release today from the independent drugstore lobby:

“At a time when policymakers from both sides of the aisle are looking for fiscally responsible and practical solutions about how best to make prescription drugs more safe, effective and affordable, the independent pharmacist lobby today has chosen to recycle a tired and discredited agenda that would cost seniors and the Medicare program, at a minimum, $55 billion in higher drug costs over the next ten years.

“Pharmacy management techniques have proven crucial to helping seniors achieve deeper-than-expected discounts and lower Part D premiums. Indeed, in 2007, the average part D premium has dropped by nearly 15 percent from 2006 to about $27 per month. In the commercial marketplace, pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) help payors lower prescription drug costs by an average of 25 percent, while providing broad access to drugs. Earlier this year, researchers at the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services noted that the rate of growth in prescription drug spending had dropped to a ten-year low, driven in part by pharmacy management techniques, including increased use of generic drugs and mail-service pharmacies.

“Since 2002, no less than 10 studies from independent researchers and government agencies â?? including the Government Accountability Office, Congressional Budget Office, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and the Federal Trade Commission â?? have documented the savings that PBMs provide to consumers, payors, and the system at large.

“The incoming 110th Congress has an historic opportunity to make real progress on prescription drug issues, including expanding the use and availability of lower-cost generic drugs; implementing a national, uniform electronic prescribing standard; and helping to promote a competitive, market-based approach to lowering drug costs. Regrettably, the independent pharmacy lobby remains mired in the past and continues to push an agenda that would cost seniors and taxpayers tens of billions of dollars in higher drugs costs.”

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PCMA is the national association representing America’s pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), which lower the cost of prescription drugs for more than 200 million Americans with coverage provided through Fortune 500 employers, health insurers, labor unions, and Medicare Part D

Contact Information:
Phil Blando, 202-207-3614
Charles Coté 202-207-3605