PCMA Highlights How PBMs Reduce Costs and Improve Quality

WASHINGTON, Dec. 13, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Testifying today before the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) President and CEO Mark Merritt explained the role of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) in reducing prescription drug costs for consumers, employers, unions, and government programs.

"The prescription drug marketplace is like any other: a market of sellers and buyers. Drugmakers are the sellers and set prices according to whatever the market will bear. The buyers ? employers, unions, health plans and government programs ? want to pay as little as possible and hire PBMs to negotiate price concessions," said PCMA President and CEO Mark Merritt.

The most recent data on National Health Expenditures, reported by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), show PBMs are restraining spending and out-of-pocket costs. The report's findings show a 1.3% increase in outpatient prescription drug spending, despite higher list prices.

PCMA is the national association representing America's pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). PBMs administer prescription drug plans for more than 266 million Americans who have health insurance from a variety of sponsors including: commercial health plans, self-insured employer plans, union plans, Medicare Part D plans, the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP), state government employee plans, Medicaid plans, and others.

SOURCE Pharmaceutical Care Management Association