Good news turned to bad in the days just after Christmas when New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo vetoed legislation that would have reined in abusive PBM practices by requiring them to be licensed and governed by the state superintendent of insurance. The regulatory authority proposed by the passed legislation could have ended PBMs’ anticompetitive practices that have led to a lack of transparency, oversight, and accountability—and that ultimately drive up health care costs for patients and the system at large.

By vetoing the legislation, Cuomo missed an opportunity for New York to be a leader in protecting patients’ access to pharmacies and pharmacists’ services. Instead, he sided with PBMs, who use opaque negotiations and spread pricing for their own profits without benefiting patients.

The Pharmacists Society of the State of New York (PSSNY) and FixRx, a joint effort of PSSNY and the New York City Pharmacists Society, will hold a rally in Albany on January 8 at 9 am to ask New York state legislators to override Cuomo’s veto.

The rally will be held at the Empire State Plaza on the Concourse Level of the Corning Tower at 9 am in advance of Cuomo’s State of the State address.

We encourage APhA members to show your solidarity with pharmacists and the patients who need affordable drugs and access to local pharmacist-provided patient care services. Remind legislators of the importance of this legislation by registering for the rally NOW!