(Baton Rouge, LA) — The Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) issued the following statement on Louisiana HB 358.

“We urge the Louisiana Senate to reject HB 358, which could force a significant number of pharmacy closures in Louisiana, putting the state’s veterans, seniors, and most vulnerable patients suffering from complex health conditions at severe risk of disruption to their health care. The latest version of legislation threatens to reduce patients’ ability to get prescription drugs through home delivery programs and specialty pharmacies. The result of the revised bill could lead to worse health outcomes and higher drug costs for patients.

“The process by which the forced pharmacy closure provision was included in HB 358 should be unacceptable to Louisiana constituents. With two days left in the legislative session, a small group of legislators, behind closed doors, put language in the bill that could result in widespread reduced access to medications. The forced pharmacy closure policy received no public hearing in either chamber of the Louisiana legislature.

“A policy of this magnitude should be vetted by every lawmaker. Instead, the Louisiana legislature will be asked to vote on the bill with little understanding of its potential disastrous impact on Louisiana’s patients.

“The Senate should stand up for Louisiana patients and reject the bill.”

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PCMA is the national association representing America’s pharmacy benefit companies. Pharmacy benefit companies are working every day to secure savings, enable better health outcomes, and support access to quality prescription drug coverage for more than 289 million patients.