We know qAM readers may have questions about what the 2024 election results (thus far) mean for independent pharmacy and the prospects for PBM reform. Here, we’re sharing an email we sent to NCPA members with our initial thoughts. As more is finalized in the days and weeks to come, we will keep you updated.
NCPA would like to congratulate President-elect Donald Trump on his victory. We would also like to congratulate Vice President Kamala Harris on a hard-fought race, and thank her for including issues important to community pharmacy in her campaign.
At the time of this reporting, we know that control of the Senate will change hands, but we do not yet know the margin. The outcome in the House remains unclear, although it appears that Republicans will maintain a slim majority. Regardless of the outcome in Congress, we believe we will have an excellent relationship with the new leadership, because we have spent the last several years building a durable, bipartisan majority in support of independent pharmacy’s top priorities.
As we do at the start of every new Congress, we will work with new members and leadership in both chambers to educate them on the issues that matter most to independent pharmacists. We will continue reaching out to the incoming administration to educate them as well, and that includes reminding them of the importance of supporting the Federal Trade Commission’s investigation of harmful PBM practices.
In the meantime, there is still work to be done in this session. NCPA’s top priorities, including Medicaid and Medicare payment reform, were passed by the House and key Senate committees. It is urgently important for this Congress to finish its work by passing that legislation.
In the past two years, NCPA members have sent thousands of letters to Congress explaining the need for PBM reform. Thousands more submitted comments to the various regulatory agencies, including the FTC, with whom we worked closely on our issues. Many NCPA members testified at congressional hearings and met with their congressional representatives at our annual fly-ins. (The next Congressional Pharmacy Fly-In is scheduled for April 30-May 1, 2025. Save the date now to make sure you can join us.)
Through our Finish the Fight campaign, nearly 50,000 patient letters have been sent to Congress demanding PBM reform. That campaign continues, and with your help we will get thousands more patients to make their voices heard before the end of the year.
The election is over, and now it’s time for Congress to finish the job and finish passing payment reform legislation. We’ll continue working hard to get our top priorities passed and signed into law before PBMs cause more damage to independent pharmacies and their patients. We will also keep you updated as we get more clarity on the election results and House and Senate leadership.
