APA, APCI Urge Passage of FAIR Meds Act in Alabama

BESSEMER, Ala. and MONTGOMERY, Ala., Feb. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Alabama Pharmacy Association (APA) and American Pharmacy Cooperative, Inc. (APCI) voiced their united support for the FAIR Meds Act in the Alabama legislature and urged lawmakers to quickly get the bill to Gov. Kay Ivey for her signature.

The FAIR Meds Act will help ensure access to healthcare for patients, provide truth and transparency in prescription drug pricing, enhance free market competition, and help ensure patient access to the pharmacy of their choice throughout Alabama. The bill was introduced by sponsor Rep. Phillip Rigsby (R-Huntsville).

"Out-of-control prescription prices affect every Alabamian, and we applaud Rep. Rigsby for introducing the FAIR Meds Act to help ensure patients across the state can afford their medications," said APA CEO Louise Jones. "We ask all Alabamians to urge their representatives to pass this desperately needed legislation without delay."

"The FAIR Meds Act will provide patients, employers, and Alabama pharmacies with transparency and increased access to health care," said APCI CEO Tim Hamrick. "We are proud to be working hand-in-hand with APA to provide a united voice in support for this legislation."

Pharmacy benefit managers are middlemen in the prescription medication chain that determine what medications patients can receive, how much patients pay out of pocket for their prescriptions, and how pharmacies are reimbursed for dispensing medications. Originally designed to help reduce the price of prescription drugs, research shows that PBM practices have contributed significantly to the spiraling increases in prescription costs. The FAIR Meds Act will create new regulations on these shadowy middlemen and bring transparency to prescription pricing in Alabama while protecting patients and implementing nation-leading protections for employers.

For more information on the FAIR Meds Act, visit fairmedsala.com.

About APA

The Alabama Pharmacy Association is a nonprofit professional organization with over 3,000 members statewide. The APA offers continuing education programs for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, and members take a leading role in lobbying for pharmacy at the state and national level. The APA was established in 1881 and is the oldest professional organization for pharmacy in the state. APA members represent all practices of pharmacy and are committed to their profession and their patients.

About APCI

APCI is a cooperative of more than 1,600 independently owned community pharmacies in 31 states. Celebrating its fortieth anniversary in 2024, the co-op is headquartered in Bessemer, Ala., and is recognized as a leader in the fight for prescription drug pricing transparency and reform.

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SOURCE American Pharmacy Cooperative, Inc.