The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear Rutledge v. PCMA, a case which seeks to reinstate an Arkansas law that regulates pharmacy benefit managers (PBM). The PBM's trade group, Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA), successfully challenged the law on Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) preemption grounds in the Eighth Circuit.

In the Administration and in Congress, significant energy was spent working toward solutions to the high costs of prescription drugs which kept a growing focus on the PBM role in rising costs through Part D DIR charges and Medicaid managed care spread pricing.

Starting in January with California announcing it would carve out its Medicaid prescription program from their Medicaid managed care program, more states acted throughout 2019 to address MCO PBM abuses that affect patients, taxpayers and pharmacy providers. In May, North Dakota also carved out its Medicaid prescription benefit back into its fee for service program with a budgeted net savings.

In November we asked you to reach out to your State House Representative to express support for a bipartisan package of bills. IPC continues to work with the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association and other Pennsylvania pharmacy groups to support these bills. The following legislative MCO prescription drug benefit reform package is now before the state Senate.

If you couldn't attend the rally on January 8 with PSSNY and FixRx in support of S6531, you have another chance to help. The fight for PBM regulation is far from over! Take the time today to call Governor Cuomo at 518-474-8390 and tell him "Shame on you for vetoing S6531 and putting corporations over New Yorkers."

If you haven't heard, PSSNY and FixRx are hosting a rally on January 8 in support of S6531, the PBM regulation bill vetoed by Governor Cuomo. It's important that we get as many New York pharmacists and pharmacy owners there as possible.