NCPA is proud to report that the Senate Armed Services Committee included a measure to audit Tricare’s pharmacy benefit program in its long markup of the FY27 National Defense Authorization Act, which was held on June 10. The amendment, which includes NCPA priority policies, was offered by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and requires an annual audit done by the Government Accountability Office of the Tricare pharmacy benefits program, examining reimbursement rates, prior authorizations, dispensing timeliness, and pharmacy network adequacy. This mirrors the language in the House version of the NDAA they passed on June 4.
Express Scripts Inc. has held the contract for Tricare’s pharmacy benefit since 2009, and an audit is sorely needed. This amendment has its origins in the Rx ACCESS Act (S. 4106), sponsored by Sens. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W. Va.), and Angus King (I-Maine). This bill was one of NCPA’s main legislative priorities during the annual Congressional Pharmacy Fly-In, and we commend the Senate Armed Services Committee for adopting the amendment. We’ll be updating NCPA membership as the NDAA proceeds through the legislative process.
