Hope for Pharmacists and Patients

Join Beth Mitchell, Senior Director of Government Affairs, and Ashley O’Sullivan, Senior Manager of Policy and Legislation, as they share how the AmerisourceBergen Government Affairs & Policy team advocates for pharmacists, pharmacies, and patients before state and federal governmental representatives. In this podcast, Beth, Ashley, and Paul explore a variety of topics, such as the unprecedented and unanimous SCOTUS decision in the Rutledge v. Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) case, where SCOTUS ruled that the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) does not preempt an Arkansas state law that states pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) may not reimburse at less than acquisition cost, which has led to the introduction of over 50 new state bills regarding PBM regulation and more than 100 new bills related to drug pricing.

As regulations and legislation seeking to address fairness and transparency toward the pharmacy profession gain new traction, Beth and Ashley provide updates on federal guidance amending the PREP Act, permitting pharmacists to administer COVID-19 testing and vaccinations during the pandemic. They also explain why it’s so important to find legislative solutions to establish permanent authorities for pharmacists at the federal level.

Finally, Beth and Ashley discuss advocacy tactics, how they can be used to educate legislators, and how that can change how our profession is viewed and treated.