ALEXANDRIA, Va.  – The National Community Pharmacists Association announced that Rep. Buddy Carter (R, Ga.) will be giving remarks at its upcoming Congressional Pharmacy Fly-In. The fly-in will be taking place April 17-18, 2024, in Alexandria, Va., and Washington, D.C. He will be speaking on April 17 at 8:30 a.m. ET, at the Hilton Alexandria Old Town.

Carter, who is a pharmacist, owned Carter’s Pharmacy, Inc. in Southeast Georgia for more than 30 years. Before being elected to Congress, he served as the mayor of Pooler, Ga., and in the Georgia General Assembly. He has been very active in efforts to pass pro-patient, pro-pharmacy legislation such as reforms to pharmacy benefit managers. In addition to cosponsoring other bills, he joined several of his colleagues to introduce the Drug Price Transparency in Medicaid Act (H.R. 1613), which is NCPA-priority legislation that prioritizes fair reimbursement to pharmacies and saves the government over $1 billion. The bill was part of a bigger legislative package that was passed overwhelmingly by the full House of Representatives.

With the fate of PBM and drug pricing reforms in the balance, Carter can give fly-in attendees his insights into what’s happening and how they can best press their policymakers for progress during their meetings on Capitol Hill.

“NCPA’s fly-in this year may be the most critical one yet,” said NCPA president Lea Wolsoncroft. “It’s falling at a time when there’s tremendous pressure on independent pharmacies and broad bipartisan support for PBM reforms, but serious risk of them getting pushed behind other congressional priorities. Rep. Carter knows what’s at stake, and I’m eager to hear his perspective on where things stand and what we can do. I hope many community pharmacists will join us at the Congressional Pharmacy Fly-In to help push PBM reform across the finish line.”

Community pharmacists can click here to learn more about the Congressional Pharmacy Fly-In and RSVP.