For 18 years, I have operated independent pharmacies in Western Pennsylvania. Our rural communities depend on local pharmacies not only for prescriptions but also for delivery services, immunizations, medication reviews and personalized care.
That care is under threat because of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs).
PBMs continue to reimburse pharmacies below the actual cost of medications. In our case, we have already closed two locations and consolidated another just to survive. Too often, we lose money helping vulnerable patients because they have nowhere else to turn.
These practices hurt patients as much as pharmacies. Rural residents face reduced access and fewer healthcare options. If independent pharmacies disappear, many patients — especially seniors and those with chronic illnesses — will lose access to essential healthcare services close to home.
Pharmacists are among the most accessible healthcare providers in Pennsylvania, but we cannot serve on the front lines of healthcare if PBMs continue to squeeze independent pharmacies out of existence.
Lawmakers need to act by supporting meaningful PBM reform, including fair reimbursement standards, transparency measures and a single state PBM structure. Without action, more pharmacies will close, and patients will suffer the consequences.
Ron McDermott
Grove City