The executive director of the Association of Community Pharmacies of Puerto Rico (AFCPR), Linda Ayala, asked for an account on Monday regarding the regulation of Pharmacy Benefit Intermediaries, known as PBM’s.
The request -as indicated- was made four years after the approval of Law 82-2019 that seeks to regulate these intermediaries, but which has not yet been implemented.
“After more than 10 years to approve the law, and four years after its approval, it has not been possible to regulate the PBM’s. This continues to make the health system on the island more expensive”indicated Ayala in written statements.
The Federal Court requested the preparation of an actuarial statement on the impact of the law on the VITAL government health plan, as well as the development of a work plan by the Department of Health. In addition, the Court requested that, after these studies, the Puerto Rico Fiscal Agency and Financial Advisory Authority meet with the Chamber Health Commission to determine the budget.
The Fiscal Control Board rejected the government’s estimates of the cost of implementing the law, calculated at $475,131.47. PBM’s and PBA’s, intermediaries in pharmacy benefits, continue to be unregulated, despite their role in negotiating drug services and costs.
“It is urgent to act since no agency in the country has jurisdiction to pass judgment on the actions of the PBM’s to the detriment of patients and health providers such as community pharmacies,” added Ayala. “We make an urgent call for urgent action to regulate the PBM whose practices affect patients and pharmacies”he concluded.
