With the election year underway, a lot of pharmacy politics have been burning in the back corner. H.R. 1971 is being debated (Hill news report here). This was the bill introduced in the summer of 2011 pushing for more transparency with PBMs.
Two issues of concern related to this bill are 1) overfilling and 2) glass house business (businesses being forced to make public their practice information).
My Opinions:
Regarding overfilling, I am not sure I fully understand the concern here. If the concern is overfilling of fraudulent prescriptions, currently in Florida the DEA is cracking down on pharmacies, pharmacists, doctors, and drug manufactures who combined are making the "pill mills" that exist there. While it seems the DEA feels they are understaffed/underfunded to be moving forward as efficiently as they would like, this problem is being addressed.
Regarding glass house business, I can feel a bit more empathy here. If you own a business, your goal is to make a profit by serving the individuals you are able to supply for, this includes PBMs. While PBMs due tend to get the negative flack from NCPA, and from instances I've seen, rightly so, they are still businesses, serving a need in the American health care system. Ideally, we would like to see all businesses working together in harmony to produce the best outcomes for patients while maintaining a respectable profit margin. (Realistically there will continue to be headbutting.) Combine that concept with the concept that you hold yourself to the same standard you hold others to, "judge not, lest you be judged." If PBMs by law must have their books become public knowledge, then reasonably so independent pharmacies must be ready and willing to do the same.
My point is: Fight hard for what you feel is right, but in doing so, don't overshoot and go too far.
