NCPA and five other trade associations issued a joint statement applauding the introduction of a federal spending bill that includes vital PBM reforms and urging members of Congress to vote 'yes' on the legislation. As we noted in yesterday's qAM, the bill would require the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to define and enforce “reasonable and relevant” Medicare Part D contract terms, establish an appeals process for pharmacies to dispute terms that do not follow the reasonable and relevant standards, and enforce against noncompliance by PBMs, among other reforms. The participating associations include NCPA, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, FMI — The Food Industry Association, the National Association of Specialty Pharmacy, the National Grocers Association, and the American Pharmacists Association.
The bill, titled the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026, would promote transparency by allowing CMS to track payment trends to pharmacies and pharmacy inclusion in PBM networks, including a designation of essential retail pharmacies. It would also prohibit PBM compensation in Medicare Part D from being tied to the manufacturer's list price of a drug in an effort to reduce drug prices and save money for taxpayers. Read the statement here.
