Letter to the editor: Protect pharmacy benefits
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Recently, I participated in a symposium hosted by the Pittsburgh Business Group on Health to discuss the key health care issues facing local employers. One takeaway was that rising prescription drug prices remain a significant challenge for small businesses as they work to attract and retain talent and protect the health of their employees.
As a wellness coach who works with businesses to help keep their workforces healthy, I believe access to affordable medication should be a priority for state lawmakers. The best way to do this is to help small businesses provide affordable pharmacy benefits, which are essential for holding down costs. Employers and unions provide prescription drug plans to their employees and their families to reduce medical costs and offer benefits tailored to the unique needs of their employees. Pharmacy benefits also allow many patients to get prescriptions delivered to their homes at a lower cost — a crucial service for Pennsylvanians in rural communities and those who can’t get to a brick-and-mortar pharmacy.
Unfortunately, drug manufacturers and other special interests have pushed lawmakers to prohibit unions and employers from offering certain affordable prescription drug benefits, forcing everyone into a more expensive, one-size-fits-all health care plan. Health plan sponsors should be able to choose the benefits that work best for them and their members.
Policymakers should protect pharmacy benefits and reject proposals that would increase the cost of prescription drug coverage. Instead, they should look at the real cause of high costs: out-of-control drug prices set by drug manufacturers.
Niki Campbell
Pine