Independent Tennessee Pharmacists Association www.tnpharm.org • [email protected] • 615.256.3023 Link March 28, 2019

KEEP IT UP! PBM Reform Hearings on Tuesday, April 2

THANK YOU for your advocacy and engagement, includ- What actions are needed TODAY? ing emails and calls to key legislators to gain support for This legislation still faces signifi cant opposition, so your House Bill 786 and Senate Bill 650! Your voices of support continued engagement is critically important for it to be- are being heard loud and clear at the Capitol in Nashville! come law. Stand up and advocate on behalf of your pa- tients, and share the importance and value of the phar- What is the current status of the legislation? macy profession with the key legislators below. House Bill 786 and Senate Bill 650 were scheduled to be heard on March 26, but both bills were rolled a week by More about this legislation: the sponsors, in order to fi nalize language and resolve TPA has worked with Representative , any remaining fi scal note issues (costs to the state). Roll- Senator Shane Reeves, Senator Ferrell Haile, Represen- ing a bill has no bearing on the status or fate of the leg- tative , and other pharmacy champion leg- islation. However, it does give you a few more days to islators, to introduce several pieces of legislation which reach out to key legislators to ask for their support. On would provide support to the pharmacy profession and Tuesday, April 2, House Bill 786 is scheduled to be heard bring increased transparency within the prescription in the House Insurance Committee and Senate Bill 650 drug delivery system. HB 786 and SB 650 are critically is scheduled to be heard in the Senate Commerce and important to increase prescription drug pricing transpar- Labor Committee. ency to the state and our patients in order to drive down prescription drug costs, as well as to level the playing fi eld between PBMs and pharmacies.

ACTION NEEDED NOW!

• Email Key Committee Members: Send an email to the • Make Your Emails and Calls Personal! key committee members listed on the following page 1. Utilize the attached Quick Guide to Advocating to share your personal story and request their support for Comprehensive Pharmacy Benefi ts Manager for House Bill 786 and Senate Bill 650. Reform. • Call Key Committee Members: Make calls to the of- 2. Share your experience and explain why comprehen- fi ces of the legislators on the following page to voice sive PBM reform is needed. your support for House Bill 786 and Senate Bill 650. 3. Provide de-identifi ed examples of negative patient • Meet with Your Elected Offi cials: If the legislator be- outcomes caused by PBMs. low is in your district, invite them to meet you at your 4. Share examples of egregious pharmacy audits and pharmacy to educate them on the importance of House contracting issues. Bill 786 and Senate Bill 650. 5. Discuss the negative impact of retroactive fees (such • Show Up in Nashville on Tuesday, April 2! Legisla- as DIR fees) on your practice. tive committee hearings are open to the public. Come 6. Ask legislators to support pharmacists and patients down to the Cordell Hull Building (425 5th Avenue, by supporting and voting for HB 786 and SB 650. Nashville, TN, 37243) on Tuesday, April 2, to show leg- islators how important PBM reform is to your pharma- Go to capitol.tn.gov/legislators to fi nd the contact cy practice. If you plan to attend, email a quick note information for your State Representative and State to [email protected] so we can provide you with Senator. additional information about your visit. CONTINUED...

THE INDEPENDENT LINK IS PUBLISHED BY THE TENNESSEE PHARMACISTS ASSOCIATION AND SPONSORED BY PHARMACY PLUS

Resources to support Independent Pharmacy March 28, 2019 Independent Link Page 2 Tennessee Pharmacists Association • www.tnpharm.org • [email protected] • 615.256.3023

House Insurance Committee (Sponsor or Co-Sponsor) capitol.tn.gov/house/committees/ Tuesday, April 2, 2019, at 12:00 pm Central insurance.html (Chairman) Dayton [email protected] (615) 741-1450 (Vice-Chairman) Cleveland [email protected] (615) 741-1350 Culleoka [email protected] (615) 741-3005 Rossville [email protected] (615) 741-6890 Johnny Garrett Goodlettsville [email protected] (615) 741-3893 Timothy Hill Blountville [email protected] (615) 741-2050 Jonesborough [email protected] (615) 741-2251 Clarksville [email protected] (615) 741-2043 Darren Jernigan Old HIckory [email protected] (615) 741-6959 Justin Laff ery Knoxville rep.justin.laff [email protected] (615) 741-4110 Larry Miller Memphis [email protected] (615) 741-4453 Jacksboro [email protected] (615) 741-3335 Murfreesboro [email protected] (615) 741-2804 Cameron Sexton Crossville [email protected] (615) 741-2343 Hixson [email protected] (615) 741-2548 Smyrna [email protected] (615) 741-6829 Bryan Terry Murfreesboro [email protected] (615) 741-2180 Cordova [email protected] (615) 741-1920 Jason Zachary Knoxville [email protected] (615) 741-2264 Senate Commerce and Labor Committee (Sponsor or Co-Sponsor) capitol.tn.gov/senate/committees/ Tuesday, April 2, 2019, at 1:00 pm Central comm-labor.html Paul Bailey (Chairman) Sparta [email protected] (615) 741-3978 Art Swann (1st Vice-Chair) Maryville [email protected] (615) 741-0981 Jon Lundberg (2nd Vice-Chair) Bristol [email protected] (615) 741-5761 Raumesh Akbari Memphis [email protected] (615) 741-1767 Dolores Gresham Somerville [email protected] (615) 741-2368 Jack Johnson Franklin [email protected] (615) 741-2495 Frank Niceley Strawberry Plains [email protected] (615) 741-2061 Steve Southerland Morristown [email protected] (615) 741-3851 Bo Watson Hixson [email protected] (615) 741-3227

SUPPORT: Pharmacy Contract and Audit Protections, Ban on Retroactive Fees, and Increased PBM Transparency

TPA has worked with state legislators to introduce comprehen- cess dispensing, and dispensing outside of prescriber's or- sive PBM reform legislation that includes pharmacy contract ders. and audit protections, a ban on PBM use of retroactive fees, • Prohibits PBMs from charging retroactive fees (e.g., DIR fees) and increased PBM transparency. to pharmacists or pharmacies at the state level. • Prohibits PBMs from using contractual language to require a Legislation: pharmacist to dispense a drug or product to a patient. • Senate Bill 650 [bit.ly/2MrKgVw] by Reeves, Haile, Swann, • Establishes notifi cation requirements for PBMs regarding a Yager pharmacy's network status. • House Bill 786 [bit.ly/2HEm8yg] by Sexton C, Terry, Powers, • Establishes prohibitions on PBMs from notifying patients Sparks until the pharmacy has received notifi cation of removal. Summary: As introduced, makes various changes to law con- • Requires PBMs to disclose any material change to contracts cerning pharmacy benefi ts managers; requires the comptroller to a pharmacy or pharmacist in its network at least thirty of the treasury to perform an annual audit of all pharmacy ben- (30) days before the eff ective date of the change. efi ts managers providing services funded by the state. • Requires the state Comptroller's offi ce to perform an audit of all state-funded PBMs and report audit results to certain Here's how this legislation would aff ect the pharmacy pro- legislative committees. fession: • Establishes certain contract standards and prohibitions • Strengthens audit protections regarding pharmacy's right to between PBMs and pharmacies. amend claims prior to recoupment. • Establishes that PBMs shall not reimburse a pharmacy or • Prohibits PBMs from recouping the cost of the drug or dis- pharmacist less than it would reimburse itself or an affi liate pensed product through audit, except in cases of fraud, ex- for providing the same drug or dispensed product. HB 786 and SB 650: A Quick Guide To Advocating For Comprehensive Pharmacy Benefits Manager Reform

Explain Who Pharmacy Benefits Managers Are And What They Role They Play: • Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) are companies that contract with health plans to assist them with processing prescription drug claims, managing a plan’s prescription drug benefit programs, and also offer additional consultative services. • The three biggest PBMs are Express Scripts (now a part of Cigna), CVS Health (now a part of Aetna), and OptumRx (now a part of UnitedHealthcare). • PBMs administer drug plans to more than 266 million Americans. • They act as a third-party administrator of prescription drug programs for commercial health plans, self-insured employer plans, Medicaid, Medicare Part D plans, the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, and state government employee plans.

Discuss Why PBMs Are Facing Increased Scrutiny: • Historically, PBMs have operated in the shadows of the pharmaceutical supply chain. • However, due to the rising costs of drug prices, the public, media, and lawmakers both at the State and Federal level are finally looking more closely at the role that PBMs play in the prescription drug market and their business practices. • “FDA Commissioner, Scott Gottlieb, recently told CNBC the reason drug prices remain high is due to the “wacky” rebate system. Rebates are the discounts paid by manufacturers to the PBMs in exchange for a spot on their formulary or approved drug list. These rebates are not passed on to patients, but shared with insurers and employers who lower premiums across the board. Sick people subsidize the healthy people.” https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/pharmacy/wacky-rebate-system-to-blame-for-high-patient-drug-prices-fda-chief- says.html

Explain the Primary Issue: • PBMs by and large have gone unregulated and been able to gain enormous market share through unfair and anti- competitive business practices • This lack of oversight has caused them to have control and influence over the prescription marketplace which has been detrimental to the patients we serve and our own pharmacy businesses.

Provide Examples of Unfair PBM Practices Which Affect Your Pharmacy and Your Patients: • Rebates: PBMs often favor higher-cost drugs on a formulary because the PBM can negotiate a higher rebate, which they retain as profit. • Spread Pricing: PBMs charge the health plan a higher cost than what it pays to the pharmacy. This can lead to higher costs for the plan sponsor, which in turn can increase premiums and co-pays for patients. • Claw-backs: After a prescription is filled, PBMs retroactively recoup the difference between a patient’s copay and the actual price of a drug when the copay amount is higher. It is important to note that the PBMs require a pharmacy to collect a copay from a patient that is set by the PBM. If the patient copay imposed by the PBM is higher than the ultimate reimbursement to the pharmacy, the PBM claws back the excess copay from the pharmacy, keeping it as a profit. • Rebate retention: PBMs often retain a portion of the drug manufacturer rebate as profit instead of returning full amount to the consumer or health plan. • PBMs may also collect an additional administration fee directly from the manufacturers, that are hidden from health plans and patients • Patient Steering: PBMs require patients to transfer prescriptions to the PBM-owned mail-order or community pharmacies or the consumer faces higher copay amounts for their medications.

Provide Why SB 650 and HB 786 Will Help With PBM Oversight and Transparency, and What This Legislation Seeks to Accomplish: • This legislation seeks to accomplish three primary goals: 1. Establish Fair Contracting and Pharmacy Audit Protections 2. Prohibit PBMs from using retroactive, non-transparent fees to penalize pharmacies 3. Establish increased transparency through a state audit of state-funded PBMs • Strengthens audit protections regarding pharmacy’s right to amend claims prior to recoupment. • Prohibits PBMs from recouping the cost of the drug or dispensed product through audit, except in cases of fraud, excess dispensing, and dispensing outside of prescriber's orders. • Prohibits PBMs from charging retroactive fees (e.g., DIR fees) to pharmacists or pharmacies at the state level. • Prohibits PBMs from using contractual language to require a pharmacist to dispense a drug or product to a patient. • Establishes notification requirements for PBMs regarding a pharmacy's network status. • Establishes prohibitions on PBMs from notifying patients until the pharmacy has received notification of removal. • Requires PBMs to disclose any material change to contracts to a pharmacy or pharmacist in its network at least thirty (30) days before the effective date of the change. • Requires the state Comptroller's office to perform an audit of all state-funded PBMs and report audit results to certain legislative committees. • Establishes certain contract standards and prohibitions between PBMs and pharmacies. • Establishes that PBMs shall not reimburse a pharmacy or pharmacist less than it would reimburse itself or an affiliate for providing the same drug or dispensed product.

Specifically Request Their Vote And Support of HB 786 and SB 650: • As your constituents, we are kindly asking for your support on this issue. • Given the information that we have provided, we hope you consider voting for oversight of the PBM business when the opportunity comes for you to vote on a bill.

Offer To Answer Any Questions: • We’re happy to do our best in answering any questions that you might have.

Thank Them For Their Service and For Listening: • Thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to hear our concerns and we thank you for your service. • Please don’t hesitate to contact me in the future for any pharmacy related questions.