Nationwide Coalition Opposes Express Scripts/Medco Merger

More than 50 consumers, small business owners and community pharmacists with Preserve Community Pharmacy Access NOW! (PCPAN) gathered in Washington, D.C. to urge Congress and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to support patient care and oppose the planned merger between Express Scripts Inc. and Medco Health Solutions Inc, two of the nation's largest pharmacy benefit management (PBM) companies. Following the press conference, which featured remarks by Representatives Joe Courtney (D-CT) and Thomas Marino (R-PA), they met with elected representatives on Capitol Hill.

The coalition expressed concerns that the new mega-PBM would control much of the supply line of brand-name and generic drugs, especially in markets where the PBMs are already highly concentrated. The merger would hurt health care quality, compromise safety and limit access to community pharmacies, while driving drug prices through the roof. It would also result in decreased access to local community pharmacies that provide convenient and helpful services.

"If allowed to go forward, this merger would have devastating effects on consumers and small businesses, alike," said Congressman Joe Courtney (D-CT). "In an industry that already offers few choices, further market concentration would squeeze out the community pharmacies many of us have come to trust the most."

"Right now, there is not a level playing field which is why I feel we need to act now," said Congressman Thomas Marino (R-PA). "I supported community pharmacies when I sponsored a bill that sets out to level that playing field -- and that would not cost the federal government or anyone else a penny. As a matter of fact, it would actually lower the prices for independent pharmacies and they, in turn, would pass it on to the consumer. I continue to support community pharmacies now."

Pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) are the largely unregulated drug middlemen that manage prescription drug benefit programs for employers, unions, health plans and others. Today, PBMs control the drug benefits of more than 200 million patients nationwide. This number includes a diverse group of Americans such as Medicare Part D beneficiaries, servicemen and veterans that are TRICARE beneficiaries, and more.

"There is a reason that this merger has drawn criticism from a diverse set of voices throughout the country," said former Congresswoman Eva M. Clayton, chairwoman of the Preserve Community Pharmacy Access NOW! (PCPAN) coalition. "If Express Scripts is allowed to merge with Medco, it is American consumers -- particularly those in lower-income and minority communities -- who will ultimately pay the price in the form of higher costs for lesser quality care. I hope that Congress and the administration will stand up for American patients and oppose the merger."

Last July, Express Scripts Inc. and Medco Health Solutions Inc, two of the nation's largest PBMs, announced a merger agreement that could go into effect as soon as early 2012. Questions about the proposed merger have been raised by elected officials, attorneys general of dozens of states, pharmacy service providers, consumer advocates and patient advocacy groups. The merger is currently being reviewed by Congress and the FTC.

Learn more at www.preservingcommunitypharmacy.com.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• express scripts
• medco
• merger
• pharmacists
• pbm
• pharmacy benefit manager
• tricare

[BrettJeffries]

@Pharmafeld My dad was a pharmacist for over 51 years and I've been a registered pharmacist for 28 years. I've read pharmacy journals for decades and have come to the same conclusion as my late dad that pharmacy groups are ineffective on this issue. If pharmacists are so self-righteous about patient care, then they must tell patients that PBMs are not in their best interest and stop filling such prescriptions. I had to close our 48-year-old pharmacy, so I'm more than informed.

[Pharmafeld]

@BrettJeffries Your comment makes no sense and indicates that you are uninformed about the issue at hand. Pharmacists serve their patients while PBMs only serve their own bottom line. PBMs force patients into mail-order which results in the closure of local pharmacies and loss of jobs (pharmacy and non-pharmacy) in local communities. Pharmacists are opposed because we care about our patients and our communities: PBMs do not. I urge you to do more research before you post on this issue

[BrettJeffries]

Awww.... The poor pharmacists got bitten by the bad PBMs after eating too much out of the government pig trough. When a singular government contracts out to these PBMs, there's bound to be one winner. After all, why should the government also favor less efficient alternatives? Pharmacists are getting what they deserve after supporting Marxist associations for decades under the guise of better patient care. Pharmacists ultimately served the third parties and not their patients.

[startupbuildervideos]

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[gunnerssiixx]

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