LETTER to the Editor

Dear Editor, Now that the midterm elections are over, it’s time for the next Congress to start preparing for their sets of legislative goals and priorities. I know there is some concern around partisan gridlock over the next two years, but I hope that lawmakers can take a step back and come together to enact commonsense, bipartisan reforms because families like mine count on it.

There has been a lot of coverage in the media lately about Pharmacy Benefit Managers or PBMs, and this is a great place for Congress to start. The practices of these insurance middlemen have gone unregulated for quite some time, and as a result they have gotten away with stealing savings from families.

When drug companies negotiate rebate deals with PBMs, the intention is for those savings to get passed down to the consumer picking up the medication at the pharmacy counter. These efforts would then help lower out of pocket costs, but in reality, the PBMs end up keeping the rebates for themselves and boosting profit margins.

As someone diagnosed with Hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and Lupus, and whose children also suffer from health challenges, access to affordable treatments is critical. I hope our elected members in Congress in both parties come together and regulate these healthcare middlemen for families like mine. Sincerely, Holly Foley Inver Grove Heights, MN