With shoppers already trusting their primary grocery store as an ally in health, pharmacies are another way for retailers to support consumers by enhancing the proposition of total store wellness.
Despite their essential role, supermarket pharmacies are struggling to stay in business due to the anticompetitive practices of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). PBMs are for-profit companies that manage prescription drug benefits on behalf of health insurers, Medicare Part D drug plans, large employers, and other payers.
PBMs’ practices often lead to patients paying more for prescription medications and supermarket pharmacies having to close their doors. Some supermarkets have had to sell their pharmacies while others have had to shutter, resulting in 2,200 pharmacies closing in 2019 alone and leading to significantly reduced access for consumers. Following are a few of the many anticompetitive practices that need to be reformed:
PBMs have been allowed to operate without oversight. Pharmacy DIR reform, a ban on spread pricing, and increased PBM oversight and transparency reforms are necessary to help curb existing and prevent future abusive practices. Action must be taken to control consumers’ costs and preserve their access to supermarket pharmacies. The Supreme Court’s recent unanimous decision in the case of Rutledge v. Pharmaceutical Care Management Association – which reaffirmed the states’ right to regulate PBMs – provides a strong vote of confidence to achieve greater oversight of PBMs.
FMI's Member Plus Program helps you get more out of your membership by facilitating connections with industry leading resources. Here is one Member Plus Program partner that relates to pharmacy.
Animal Med Express provides pet medications and OTC products to pharmacies nationwide enabling them to enter into the growing $15 billion animal pharmacy market.