Florida Politics
Shane Abbott: Rural communities most affected by predatory PBM middlemen
Unless significant reforms are made to Florida’s broken PBM system, patients will be put at risk due to lack of access to prescription drugs — especially those who live in smaller, more rural communities like mine.
Politico Florida
Moody joins other state AGs to support state regulation of drug middlemen
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody joined a bipartisan coalition of 38 attorneys general asking the U.S. Supreme Court to protect state power to regulate prescription drug middlemen known as pharmacy benefit managers.
Town-Crier
Independent Pharmacists Stress Personal Touch In An Industry Dominated By Chains
On Wednesday, Feb. 19, the advocacy group Small Business Pharmacies Aligned for Reform (SPAR) hosted a press conference at My Community Pharmacy in Wellington regarding pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and their effect on pharmaceutical pricing.
The Floridian
Alex Andrade tackles Rx drug legislation, but does it go far enough?
Florida state Rep. Alex Andrade (R) is advocating for a bill that would create more transparency around the prescription drugs that Floridians buy. But some groups are questioning whether it goes far enough.
NCPA
Analysis Blows Lid Off $8.5 Billion PBM Scam, Says Community Pharmacy
A new report by one of the country's top pharmacy industry analysts shows how giant corporate middlemen are using "obscure" fees to scoop up billions in additional profits at the expense of patients and their neighborhood pharmacies.
WPTV
Okeechobee pharmacist demands 'special session on drug pricing reform'
A popular pharmacist is calling for prescription drug pricing reform in Florida after a newly released report shows small pharmacies are having a difficult time competing with corporate giants and some in our region fear they will have to close their doors.
Chronicle Online
Local pharmacists complain drug middlemen hurt patient prices and business
In the competitive pharmaceutical industry where drug manufacturers vie for huge market shares, middlemen work billion dollar deals, and pharmacy goliaths dominate the prescription landscape, it’s hard to be small.
The Capitolist
Study finds millions in Medicaid unfairly pocketed by Pharmacy Benefit Managers
A new Florida study, released last week, found that major health care companies using pharmacy benefit managers (PBM’s) have positioned themselves to pocket millions of dollars from the state’s Medicaid system that were intended to lower costs for millions of low-income Floridians.
politico Florida
Pharmacy lobby releases PBM report during legislative fight
Senate Health Policy Chairwoman Gayle Harrell (R-Stuart) and Rep. Jackie Toledo (R-Tampa) called for more scrutiny of drug middlemen on Thursday, speaking at the release of a report accusing the industry of predatory practices.
stat news
PBMs favor their own pharmacies in the Florida Medicaid program
One company singled out was CVS Health, which runs more than 9,900 pharmacies in the U.S. and one of the largest PBMs, which is called Caremark.
Health News Florida
Pharmacists Say They Take Hit In Medicaid
Amid a legislative tussle with millions of dollars on the line, people who operate pharmacies in Florida contend they are getting short-changed by the state.
Capital Soup
Study analyzing 359 million prescription AHCA drug claims documents widespread abuse
New study highlights predatory practices by pharmacy benefit managers that drive up costs for patients, taxpayers
Florida Politics
Brittany Jackson: Broken PBM system puts patient access at risk
My experience with the PBM’s pharmacy has been nothing short of awful.
Florida Politics
House and Senate in sync on PBM reform
Will this be the year that Floridians get some financial relief from prescription drug costs?
Tallahassee Democrat
Pharmacy benefit managers are making decisions that harm my Tallahassee patients | Opinion
There are people with no medical training and no obligation to patients who have the power to override medical [...]
Florida Politics
Tom Wright bill pushes for pharmacy benefit manager reform
State Sen. Tom Wright is pushing legislation for the upcoming 2020 Session that would increase regulation of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs).
Tampa Bay Times
How Pharmacy Benefit Managers Dictate Care
These middle men too often intrude in the decision-making between doctors and patients, a St. Petersburg oncologist writes. [...]
The Capitolist
Florida lawmakers push to improve access to prescription drugs, lower costs
Calling out Pharmacy Benefit Managers, or “PBM’s” for predatory business practices, a bipartisan group of lawmakers [...]
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Proposed Florida legislation targets pharmacy benefit managers
In an attempt to lower health care costs for Floridians, a Tampa Republican and other lawmakers want to crack down on the role of pharmacy benefit managers.
Florida Daily
Florida Lawmaker Fights to Improve Access to Prescription Drugs, Lower Costs
Florida state Rep. Jackie Toledo, R-Tampa, was joined by fellow lawmakers, patients, physicians, pharmacists, and small business owners[...]
Florida Politics
Jackie Toledo officially files Pharmacy Benefit Manager reform bill
Rep. Jackie Toledo filed legislation Tuesday to crack down on what she describes as over-charges on [...]
WUSF News
Tampa Lawmaker Files Legislation To Reform Prescription Drug Industry In Florida
A Tampa lawmaker is hoping to lower drug prices and improve care for Floridians [...]
Bay News 9
Bay Area Lawmaker Takes On Pharmacy Benefit Managers
State Rep. Jackie Toledo officially announced a new bill Tuesday that she said is designed to lower prescription drug costs while increasing pharmacy access to all patients.
Tampa Bay Times
Tampa lawmaker Jackie Toledo leads push to lower drug costs in Florida
A bill by the Republican state representative would regulate go-between companies known as pharmacy benefit managers. [...]
FOX 13 Tampa Bay
Florida lawmaker's bill to reduce prescription costs gains national support
A Florida lawmaker is pushing to make your next trip to the pharmacy easier and less expensive under a proposed bill to cut price [...]
Floridian Press
Rep. Toledo files bill to address sky-high prescription drug prices
Cutting the astronomical costs of prescription drugs is a bipartisan effort that is being pushed both at the federal and state levels of government [...]
Floridian Press
Florida’s Rx drug supply chain needs fixing, more transparency
Yesterday, the Florida Senate met in two separate committees to discuss the issue of Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) [...]
Florida Daily
Florida Pharmacists Sounding the Alarm, Accuse PBMs of ‘Hijacking’ Health Care Spending
With Americans continuing to be impacted by the spiraling costs of health care, some neighborhood pharmacists across Florida have an idea to do.
The Capitolist
Trump wants lower prescription drug costs. Florida lawmakers should make the market more competitive
President Donald Trump visited Florida last week, making a stop at The Villages, one of the highest [...]
Tampa Bay Times
EDITORIAL │ Why is lowering drug costs a partisan issue?
The U.S. House has voted to let Medicare negotiate lower drug costs. What’s wrong with that? [...]
MyNews13
Watchdog: Insurance Groups Buy Drug "Middle Men"; Transparency Calls Grow
PBMs: have you heard of them? If not, you’re not alone, but they do factor into your prescription drug costs.
Florida Politics
Forget Canada, Florida has a home-grown fix for Rx prices
Gov. Ron DeSantis recently pitched the idea of importing prescription drugs from Canada to help out Floridians getting raked over the coals during their monthly trip to the pharmacy.
Sun Sentinel
Independent pharmacies being driven out of business by ‘predatory middlemen’ | Opinion
Lately, everywhere you look there are people worried about keeping drug prices affordable, especially for Florida’s aging seniors. [...]
Florida Politics
Jackie Toledo plans to tackle prescription drug prices by regulating the middleman
Rep. Jackie Toledo plans to file legislation this week that would lower prescription drug prices for some consumers and protect [...]
Bloomberg
The Secret Drug Pricing System Middlemen Use to Rake in Millions
Spread pricing, where pharmacy benefit managers like CVS mark up—sometimes dramatically—the difference between the amount they reimburse pharmacies for a drug and the amount they charge their clients.