PCMA Statement on Congressional Opioid Hearings: Pass Bipartisan E-Prescribing Legislation to Combat Crisis

WASHINGTON, April 11, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) President and CEO Mark Merritt released the following statement on the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee's hearing Combating the Opioid Crisis: Improving the Ability of Medicare and Medicaid to Provide Care For Patients and the discussion of S. 2460 / H.R. 3528 the Every Prescription Conveyed Securely Act:

"Electronic prescribing (e-prescribing) for controlled substances is one of the single most important innovations to reduce opioid abuse. It's been a proven success in New York State and is likely one of the few solutions on the table that will score savings.

E-prescribing helps ensure each prescription is written by a legitimate provider and filled at a legitimate pharmacy. This solution attacks the opioid epidemic by preventing doctor shopping, drugstore shopping, and fraud. PCMA supports bipartisan legislation that would require e-prescribing of controlled substances in Medicare."

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