Letter to the Editor - Congress should reform pharmacy benefit manager practices

Dear editor,

As someone who relies on medications for heart disease, it’s incredibly frustrating to see our leaders in Washington drag their feet on passing meaningful legislation that could help seniors afford their prescription drugs. Congress must act soon to pass policy reforms that will help reduce out-of-pocket costs at the pharmacy and make prescription drugs more available and accessible to those who need them most.

One of the most effective ways Congress can tackle this problem is by passing legislation to reform the harmful, self-serving business practices of pharmacy benefit managers. These groups, often owned by insurers, control roughly 80% of the prescriptions on the market today and use a range of highly questionable business practices to maximize their profits while making it harder for average Americans to afford and access their doctor-prescribed medications and treatments.

Lawmakers in Congress have the tools to address this, and it’s time for them to use them. Passing the Delinking Revenue from Unfair Gouging — DRUG — Act, for example, would help reform and rein in pharmacy benefit manager practices that lead to higher out-of-pocket costs for patients like me. Sens. Jon Tester and Steve Daines should work with their colleagues to pass the DRUG Act in order to help seniors and all patients more easily afford the medications they need to get healthy and stay that way.

Allan Smith

Havre