Pharmacists press on in a fight against benefit managers
By Jonathan Lamantia
Independent pharmacists scored a political victory when Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the state Legislature banned a common pricing tactic used by pharmacy benefit managers in the budget.
The state banned PBMs from engaging in spread pricing, in which they reimburse pharmacies at a lower rate than they received from Medicaid insurers and keep the difference.
Now they are going further, asking lawmakers to stop using pharmacy benefit managers in the Medicaid managed-care program. PBMs negotiate drug prices on behalf of insurers or employers……..