Medicare Drug Plans Limit Pharmacy Choices for NJ Seniors; National Community Pharmacists Association Doesn't Appear to be in Favor of Preferred Networks

Mark Riley, President of the National Community Pharmacists Association, blames arrangements dictated by health insurance middlemen, called Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs), with forcing some seniors to pay more or stop using the pharmacy of their choice. He said PBMs have created Preferred Networks where only a small percentage of the pharmacies wind up with a “preferred” status, generally being very large national chains. “It’s locked the local smaller community independent pharmacies particularly out of those networks even though they’re willing to accept the same terms in terms of payment. They’re not asking for some special higher payment. They’re just asking to be in the network and they’re not even given a chance to be in that network,” he said.

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