The Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA), a group that represents pharmacy benefits managers, spent close to $525,000 in the second quarter lobbying the federal government on a variety of issues.
This is a slight decrease from the second quarter of 2010, when the total expenditures reached $552,000. However, the number is a substantial increase from the first quarter of 2011, when PCMA spent $478,000 (a 10 percent difference).
PCMA's lobbying efforts included:
- Drug reimbursements and discounts under Medicare and laws affecting the Medicare and Medicaid programs.
- The promotion of generic drugs, which cost less than name-brand medications and are more profitable for pharmacy benefits managers.
- Legislation related to the U.S. Post Office; PBMs often use the mail to send 90-day prescriptions for chronic illnesses.
PCMA's members include the largest independent PBMs (Express Scripts Inc., Medco Health Solutions Inc., and CVS Caremark Corp.), along with several health insurers. Express Scripts agreed to buy Medco in July.
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