Support for DIR Fee Reform Legislation Continues

According to the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA), pharmacy price concessions have increased by 91,500% in the last decade.2 DIR fees have been cited as an integral reason in for pharmacies closing. Reform would enable transparency and limit pharmacy benefit managers (PBM's) clawing back fees from pharmacies.2 On June 17, 249 organizations signed a letter to Congress to urge health care reform through the Pharmacy DIR Reform to Reduce Senior Drug Costs Act (S. 1909 / H.R. 3554), which was introduced in the Senate by Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va), and in the House by Representatives Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Morgan Griffith (R-Va.).2 The aim of this bill is to limit retroactive pharmacy DIR fees and create meaningful pharmacy performance measures. NCPA, the National Association of Specialty Pharmacy, the American Pharmacists Association, and the National Association of Chain Drug Stores were among the organizations that signed the letter of support.12 According to National Community Pharmacists Association, "The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently disclosed that [PBMs] increased retroactive fees on pharmacies by an astonishing 91,500% in recent years.