PCMA Statement on CMS Administrator Nominee

WASHINGTON, March 1, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) issued the following statement on the Senate Finance Committee's vote to advance the nomination of Seema Verma as the new Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator:

"The popular Medicare Part D program continues to be a bright spot in American health care. By offering an abundance of competing plan choices in each region and using cutting-edge, cost-saving tools like pharmacy networks and home delivery, the program is a win-win for both seniors and taxpayers.

We were encouraged by Ms. Verma's recent statements about pharmacy benefit managers' (PBMs') role in keeping drug costs affordable for beneficiaries. The tools used by PBMs restrain costs by increasing competition among drug makers and drugstores.

Congress should avoid government interference in the private sector negotiations that make Part D work, and instead explore new ways to build on the Part D model in order to root out wasteful spending in other federal health programs.

We look forward to the confirmation of Ms. Verma and our continued work with CMS on ways to reduce costs and improve access to needed medications."

PCMA is the national association representing America's pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). PBMs administer prescription drug plans for more than 266 million Americans who have health insurance from a variety of sponsors including: commercial health plans, self-insured employer plans, union plans, Medicare Part D plans, the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP), state government employee plans, Medicaid plans, and others.

SOURCE Pharmaceutical Care Management Association

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http://www.pcmanet.org