(Washington, D.C.) — The Pharmaceutical Care Management Association released the following statement on Illinois legislation, HB 4146:

“This bill would force the state’s employers, unions and others that provide pharmacy benefits to continue covering expensive brand drugs, even when more affordable, equally effective competing brand drugs become available.

Similar legislation in other states has failed largely because it was viewed as a giveaway to drug companies that raise prices at the expense of consumers.

Health plans, employers, and state health programs hire pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to reduce costs for patients by, among other things, encouraging the use of lower cost, equally safe, and effective alternative medications. While no payer is required to hire a PBM, they choose to because PBMs typically reduce drug costs by 30 percent.”