Rally at Yonkers pharmacy presses Hochul to sign bills

The Grassy Sprain Pharmacy on Tuckahoe Road in Yonkers was the focal point for elected officials, business leaders and others pushing for New York Gov. Kathy Hochul to sign legislation that had been passed by the legislature in June and is designed to aid local pharmacies.

Elected officials and others gather at the Grassy Sprain Pharmacy in Yonkers on Dec. 15 in support of state legislation to protect local pharmacies.

Both the State Senate and Assembly passed a package of four bills making up the Pharmacy Rescue Package. Hochul previously signed one measure that allows pharmacies to administer vaccinations recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, such as the current Covid vaccines. The three other bills that remined unsigned as of the Dec. 15 gathering at Grassy Sprain would:

Set a minimum reimbursement level for prescriptions;
Put restrictions on pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), companies that manage prescription drug benefits on behalf of health insurance companies;
Prevent patients from being required to use mail-order pharmacies.

Among those participating were: Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano; State Sen. Shelley Mayer; Assembly Members Amy Paulin and Nader Sayegh; Yonkers City Council Members Tasha Diaz and John Rubbo; County Legislator-Elect James Nolan; President of the Yonkers Chamber of Commerce Kevin Cacace; and Anthony Ciarletta, pharmacist and owner of Grassy Sprain Pharmacy.

Sayegh said, “Grassy Sprain Pharmacy and independent pharmacies across New York are key components of accessible, affordable health care in our communities, and have played a leading role keeping New Yorkers safe against Covid-19. We urge Gov. Hochul to protect patients and independent pharmacies against prescription drug middlemen by enacting the Pharmacy Rescue Package into law.”

According to the Pharmacists Society of the State of New York, under the current system, PBMs have complete power to determine how much money pharmacies are reimbursed for the prescriptions they dispense. A survey of more than 300 independent pharmacies earlier this year was conducted by the society and found that 98% of respondents had their reimbursements cut during the pandemic. The survey also showed that 97% feared they will have to lay off employees, reduce store hours or close due to those cuts. The society said that while that was going on, PBMs had record-breaking revenue increases.

“Independent pharmacies, predominantly serving patients who are either uninsured or on Medicaid or Medicare, are why cities like Yonkers have been able to meet Covid-19 vaccination goals,” Spano said. “Yonkers is thankful for all Gov. Hochul has done to support our recovery efforts and urge her signature on the Pharmacy Rescue Package so that we can continue forging a path out of the Covid-19 virus.”