FLORIDIANS FOR AFFORDABLE RX
Floridians deserve affordable, accessible and safe prescription drugs.
ABOUT US
Floridians for Affordable Rx works on behalf of Floridians to increase access to affordable prescription drugs
We all agree that we need to do more to combat the rising cost of prescription drugs – but we need to make sure that these measures will truly help Florida families and not just line the pockets of Big Pharma and independent pharmacy special interests. We’re here to sound the alarm on proposals that would drive up costs and put Floridians at risk.
Get the facts about Big Pharma and independent pharmacy lobby pushing proposals that will drive up health costs for Floridians.
GET THE FACTS
THE FACTS ABOUT BIG PHARMA
Drug makers alone set the price of drugs, and Big Pharma lobbyists are pushing legislation that will weaken the ability of pharmacy benefit managers to drive down costs of prescription drugs.
- Drug manufacturers are solely responsible for setting the prices on their products.
- In the first week of January 2021, drug manufacturers hiked prices of more than 500 prescription drugs.
- Nine out of ten of the biggest drug makers spent 50% more on advertising their products than researching and developing new ones.
Big Pharma has a history of backing patient advocacy groups to promote their agenda and line their own pockets.
- In 2018, six of the top pharmaceutical manufacturers funneled over $680 million into patient advocacy groups and nonprofits.
- Pharmaceutical companies gave at least $116 million to patient advocacy groups in a single year, compared to only $63 million spent on lobbying efforts.
THE FACTS ABOUT INDEPENDENT PHARMACIES
We all agree that pharmacists play an important role in our health care system. Their focus, just like everyone in the prescription drug supply chain, should be making prescription drugs more affordable and more accessible for patients.
New pharmacy data reveals that the overall number of independent pharmacy stores increased over the past decade in the United States.
There are 2,645 more independent pharmacies than there were in 2011, which is almost a 13% increase over 10 years.
1 in 3 pharmacies in Florida is an independent pharmacy
There are more independent pharmacies today in Florida than there were 10 years ago. Even as other businesses shuttered during the COVID-19 pandemic, 20 independent pharmacies were added in the past year alone.
NEW RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS PSAO ROLE IN SUPPORTING INDEPENDENT PHARMACIES
A vast majority of independent pharmacies hire powerful pharmacy services administrative organizations (PSAOs) to negotiate on their behalf.
More specifically, PSAOs help independent pharmacies:
Negotiate reimbursements from the PBM to the pharmacy
Consult on pharmacy network contracts
Perform back office operations
Despite having a “mom & pop” reputation, nearly 83% of independent pharmacies have the backing of heavy-weight, unregulated PSAOs to negotiate contracts with other parties in the pharmaceutical supply and payment chain.
It’s time our elected officials implement the same level of reporting requirements to PSAOs as they do for other entities in health care.
DRUG MANUFACTURERS AND INDEPENDENT PHARMACIES HAVE THE HIGHEST PROFIT MARGINS IN THE PHARMACEUTICAL SUPPLY CHAIN:
ENGAGE ON SOCIAL
Thank you for being a Floridian for Affordable Rx advocate! If you’d like to take further action in the fight for affordable prescription drug costs, please share one of these posts below (or all of them!) on social media. By speaking up and sharing this information you can help make a difference in Florida.
SAMPLE POST ONE
FACT: Pharmacy benefit managers work on behalf of Florida patients to negotiate with drug manufacturers to lower our Rx costs—and save our families billions each year. #FLpol
Get the facts & join the fight for affordable Rx: https://bit.ly/2ILNZhZ
SAMPLE POST TWO
.@AffordableRxFL is committed to helping our fellow Floridians and elected leaders understand the most effective ways to lower drug costs and save our families money on Rx.
Learn more & join the fight: https://bit.ly/2ILNZhZ #FLpol
SAMPLE POST THREE
It's time for Floridians to stand up to special interest groups trying to limit our ability to access affordable prescription drugs. #FLpol
Join us & learn how you can protect your family's access to affordable Rx: https://bit.ly/2ILNZhZ
If you want to share content directly to your Twitter account and tag your state legislators, click the “Tweet Now” button below and it will automatically share this tweet and autotag your legislators if they have Twitter accounts.
CONNECT WITH US
Floridians for Affordable Rx provides an advocacy voice for people concerned about the affordability, accessibility and safety of prescription drugs in Florida.
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for important updates about prescription drug proposals in Florida.
A coalition of concerned Floridians convened by PCMA
© 2019