Last month, we reported that Democratic Representative Stephen Lynch introduced H.R. 4489, requiring OPM oversight of Pharmacy Benefits Managers when they negotiate with drug companies on behalf of federal employees. To recap, because of a lack of oversight, OPM cannot determine whether rebates from pharmaceutical companies are being passed on to the government or federal employees, and these rebates can be as high as 50%. HR 4489 also would prevent Pharmacy Benefits Managers from requiring federal employees to use less expensive prescription drug alternatives without their physicians’ approval.
Well, not surprisingly the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA, the association for Pharmacy Benefits Managers) opposes this bill. In fact, they released the results of their own poll of 305 federal employees in the Washington D.C. area stating that the majority of federal employees want things to stay as they are; no change, no OPM oversight of the people in charge of negotiating their prescription drug plans. Really? Federal employees don’t want a bill that would protect their own interests? One wonders whether the participants in this survey ever actually needed to use their prescription drug plans. What are their ages? Do they have or have they ever had chronic illnesses?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, “With about 2 million civilian employees, the federal government, excluding the Post Office, is the nation’s largest employer.” Additionally, “85 percent of federal employees live outside the Washington, D.C. area.” Maybe PCMA should have broadened their survey.
Seems that every time a proposal to protect working Americans is put forth, the industry group (usually Big Insurance and Big Pharma) that stands to lose money and control opposes it. They do so armed with charts and “surveys.”
When it comes to protecting the benefits for federal employees, there is nothing wrong with a little oversight.