Letter To The Editor From Local Pharmacist

Dear Edmonson Voice Editor:
 
As the owner of an independent pharmacy, I am proud to serve members of our community and provide access to life-saving medications and expert consultation regarding those medications.
 
Recently, the ability to effectively do both has been limited by large, unregulated middlemen known as pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs. 
 
PBMs are trying to put local independent pharmacies, like mine, out of business by acting as intermediaries between corporate drug companies and large insurance companies, ultimately dismissing the role of the pharmacy and pharmacist.  PBMs have limited access to important prescription drugs and forced many of my sickest patients to receive prescriptions through a mail order service.
 
Without regulation, PBMs will continue to intervene in the patient-pharmacist relationship and will make it increasingly difficult for independent pharmacies to stay in business and serve the local community.
 
Our legislators now have the opportunity to pass commonsense legislation that will hold PBMs accountable and regulate them in the same manner that insurance companies are regulated.
 
I urge those in Frankfort to pass this legislation.  Independent pharmacies provide important prescription drug access to our local communities, and we deserve the chance to continue providing these services without the interference of corporate middlemen.
 
Sincerely,
Kasey L. Alford PharmD
Alford's Pharmacy, Brownsville, Kentucky