Roger Marshall: “I thank my colleague for yielding. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the Trump administration's rule that will…”

“I thank my colleague for yielding. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the Trump administration's rule that will modernize Medicare part D and, as a result, lower drug prices, reduce out-of-pocket expenses for America's seniors, and make critical fixes to our systems that will help our local pharmacies. Across Kansas, there are 506 chain drugstores and 253 independent community pharmacists. These pharmacists are honest, hardworking men and women who often go above and beyond to ensure that patients know how to manage their medications. I have heard their stories, and they all share the same frustration: direct and indirect remuneration, or DIR, fees. In many instances in rural America, the only healthcare professionals left standing are my good friends and colleagues from the noble pharmacy profession, and these DIR fees are running them out of town. The increase of DIR fees over the last several years has raised out- of-pocket costs for our seniors and put our pharmacies at financial risk, often operating in negative margins. Far too regularly, pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs, collect DIR fees from pharmacies months and months after claims. It is completely unpredictable and unfair, and the benefits all go into the pockets of the pharmacy benefit managers. Shame on them for doing this, but not anymore. This proposed rule will guarantee predictability by helping standardize the process and end the disparity between pharmacists, patients, and PBMs.…”