Henry Bonilla: “while I support this bill because it provides meaningful prescription drug coverage for America's seniors and implements…”

“while I support this bill because it provides meaningful prescription drug coverage for America's seniors and implements measures needed to modernize the Medicare system, I rise out of concern for the effects of this bill on pharmacy services. Pharmacists are on the front lines of health care for millions of Americans. Seniors count on their pharmacist for quality medications and medication therapy services. Coverage of prescription drugs should go hand-in-hand with access to quality pharmacy services. This bill would inhibit the ability of America's seniors to select the pharmacy that best meets their needs. In many of the smaller towns in my district, seniors have established long-standing relationships of trust with their community pharmacists. This bill would force many of these seniors to turn elsewhere for prescription drug services. Furthermore, this bill allows Pharmacy Benefit Managers to establish restrictive pharmacy networks, preferred formularies, mail order services and inadequate reimbursement rates, severely undermining the future viability of community pharmacies. Prescription drug plan sponsors, not pharmacists or doctors, would determine the selection of medications to be included on formularies. Cost would supercede the medication that is in the best interest of the patient, and community pharmacies would be left struggling to stay in business. This bill also compromises seniors' access to medication-therapy services.”