WASHINGTON, November 17, 2023 — The ERISA Industry Committee (ERIC) and Employers’ Prescription for Affordable Drugs (EmployersRx), a coalition of employers formed in 2019 to advocate for policies that address the high cost of prescription drugs, along with 50 other organizations representing employers, patients, and a wide range of industry sectors, calls on Congress to pass strong pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) reforms this year to address rising health care costs.
“We are encouraged by the progress that has been made in the Senate and urge Congress to act quickly to pass these reforms into law,” said James Gelfand, President and CEO of The ERISA Industry Committee (ERIC). “Implementing these commonsense, free-market reforms will help to ensure that employers, health plans, and patients have access to affordable prescription drugs.”
ERIC and EmployersRx are committed to working with Congress to ensure that PBM reforms are passed this year. The coalition is urging Congress to take action to ensure that employers, health plans, and patients are not paying more for drugs than they should be. These reforms include enforcing complete transparency and reporting, eliminating spread pricing, obligating PBMs to pass on all rebates, discounts, and fees and demanding that PBMs are held accountable to the same standards as employers.