OLYMPIA, Wash. – The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) today hailed the enactment of Washington State Senate Bill (SB) 5213 — bipartisan legislation led by State Senators Patty Kuderer (D) and Shelly Short (R) that will help protect patients’ access to pharmacies across the state. The measure was signed into law by Governor Jay Inslee (D-WA).

SB 5213 is a critical and incremental step toward the regulatory oversight, transparency, and accountability of pharmacy benefit managers (PBM).

Of note, the new law will provide protections for patient care and for patients’ choice of pharmacy, as well as enforcement authority for the Washington State Insurance Commissioner to hold PBMs accountable.

NACDS President and CEO Steven C. Anderson said: “NACDS sincerely thanks Gov. Jay Inslee, State Senators Patty Kuderer (D) and Shelly Short (R), and the Washington State Pharmacy Association for championing Senate Bill 5213. The enactment of this crucial legislation is a major victory for patients and for the pharmacies of all sizes on which they rely. We applaud the state government for their continued work to confront ‘pharmaceutical benefit manipulation’ in all its forms, which is essential to helping ensure Washingtonians’ continuity of care.

“NACDS’ work in an array of states has shown that PBM reform is far from done when a law is enacted. We are here to stand up for the leaders who stand up for patients, pharmacies, employers, taxpayers, communities, and the entire state by enacting, implementing, enforcing, and defending PBM reform laws.”

Pharmacies remain critical access points to needed care — existing within five miles of 90 percent of Americans. A recent poll commissioned by NACDS and conducted by Morning Consult found that 85% of adults in Washington State say it is very or somewhat easy to access pharmacies, ranking their accessibility the highest among healthcare destinations tested.

NACDS continues to work at the federal and state levels to confront PBM practices that force patients and others to pay more for their medicines, that limit patients’ access to their pharmacist, that restrict patients’ access to the medicines right for them, and that jeopardize the pharmacies on which patients rely. Read more…