Previously I reported that a PBM had been making headlines in Arkansas, with the Arkansas Pharmacy Association and their legislature working to correct severe cuts being made to their local pharmacists (Arkansas Leads the Way Against Anti-Competitive Actions of PBM). Similar issues have been observed in Iowa, with pharmacists in the state pushing the Iowa Pharmacy Association and state legislators. They quickly responded to the call to action and continue to fight for local pharmacies being reimbursed fairly.
Today, the Iowa Pharmacy Association announced that their work appears to be having some positive benefits. From a news release from the IPA:
…in response to IPA outreach and concern, they’ve conducted an internal analysis and will be making an adjustment to their pharmacy reimbursement in Iowa. This adjustment will be made later this week, or early next week at the latest.
At this point in time, the PBM has not agreed to make these changes retroactive. It is my belief that this is a tactical mistake by the PBM. Additionally, the scope of the changes will take time to analyze and it will not be clear for quite some time if the adjustments are fair.
So while it is too early to celebrate, it is satisfying to know that a grass-roots movement can escalate into a wave of support. The pressure that this support put on the PBM appears to have had some impact. While not a clinical intervention, this is yet another example of Making Every Encounter Count.