<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0ehbdC_1EdTWNkj00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0ehbdC_1EdTWNkj00" width="1140" height="820" ></figure>Our area is losing its locally owned and operated pharmacies. Over the past decade, Northern Nevada has experienced a significant number of pharmacy closures that are sadly consistent with national trends. Many independent and even national chain pharmacies have been impacted, with hundreds of closures across the U.S. since 2014. Rural areas in particular have been hit the hardest, with many losing their last remaining pharmacies due to financial challenges and competition. Nationwide, more than 16% of independently owned pharmacies in rural areas closed between 2003 and 2021, and this trend is visible in rural Nevada.I understand that there is only one compounding pharmacy left in all of Northern Nevada: the Sierra Compounding Pharmacy in South Reno. It attracts clients from all around Northern Nevada and is one of the only places patients can go to obtain medications that corporate pharmacies don’t carry. I have been a client of Sierra Family Pharmacies for well over a decade, and I watched them close three retail pharmacies in 2017 and 2018, leaving the South Reno store as their last pharmacy. I was just there earlier this month, getting some medications I can’t get anywhere else, and of course my insurance won’t cover those medications. Why are our local pharmacies closing? Well, one main reason is the reimbursement challenges from Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs). PBMs, which act as intermediaries between insurers, pharmacies, and drug manufacturers, often dictate the reimbursement rates for medications. Many independent pharmacies report that these rates are too low, sometimes even below the cost of the drug itself, leading to unsustainable profit margins​.PBMs force local pharmacies into “take it or leave it” contracts, often forcing them to sell medications for below cost. Even if a pharmacy can survive these anticompetitive practices, they must dedicate more time to dealing with PBM issues than with serving their patients. Smaller pharmacies also face significant regulatory hurdles, including compliance with health insurance regulations, safety standards, and other federal guidelines. These requirements can be difficult to manage without the resources of larger corporations.These factors, combined with ongoing changes in health care policy and economic pressures, are contributing to the closure of many independently owned pharmacies, particularly in rural areas.But it’s not just pharmacies that are being hurt by PBMs. So are patients. PBMs work with insurance companies to decide what medicines patients can get and how much people pay out of pocket. While PBMs “negotiate” for lower prices, they are not passing those cost savings on to their customers. Just three PBMs control 80% of the market. They rely on opaque business practices that experts warn can lead to higher costs for patients. For example, they collect exorbitant fees tied to the price of medicines, which means they can benefit more from preferring higher-priced medicines, even though that may mean higher costs for patients.A recent analysis found the share of PBM profits from these fees paid by pharmacies, employers, and other entities increased 300% over the last decade.To rein in these powerful middlemen, Democratic and Republican senators have introduced the Delinking Revenue from Unfair Gouging Act (S. 1542).The bipartisan bill would end incentives that experts have noted may drive PBMs to prefer higher-priced medicines when cheaper versions are available. Instead, PBMs would be required to charge flat fees based on the services they provide, making the system more competitive, transparent, and affordable.I urge our Nevada delegation to help ensure that Nevadans, especially rural Nevadans, have pharmacies in their communities. I urge them to pass legislation when they return to Congress after the summer break to protect our local pharmacies. Nevada patients will benefit from lower drug costs if they take action. Alice Heiman owns a sales consulting business in Reno and is a health care advocate. </div></body>

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Our area is losing its locally owned and operated pharmacies. Over the past decade, Northern Nevada has experienced a significant number of pharmacy closures that are sadly consistent with national trends. Many independent and even national chain pharmacies have been impacted, with hundreds of closures across the U.S. since 2014.

Nevada’s Latest Endangered Species: Local Pharmacies

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Our area is losing its locally owned and operated pharmacies. Over the past decade, Northern Nevada has experienced a significant number of pharmacy closur

Nevada’s Latest Endangered Species: Local Pharmacies

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