Pharmacist and Pharmacy Organizations Commend 2026 Spending Bill with Important PBM Provisions, Urge Passage

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (Jan. 21, 2026) The National Community Pharmacists Association, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, FMI - The Food Industry Association, the National Association of Specialty Pharmacy, the National Grocers Association, and the American Pharmacists Association applaud the introduction of H.R. 7148, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026, and urge its prompt passage and enactment.

In a joint statement, the six organizations said: "Congressional leaders and appropriators of both parties have included some long overdue and urgently needed PBM reforms as part of the final four spending bills for FY2026. These reforms are of critical importance to American patients and their pharmacists and pharmacies. Medicare recipients should be able to access the care and prescriptions they need at their chosen pharmacy without PBMs and plan sponsors getting in the way. We are heartened to see that many of the needed reforms have been attached to the latest spending bill.

"Ahead of an expected vote late this week, we announce that each of our organizations strongly endorse this 'minibus' which includes important PBM reforms to Medicare plans, and urge members of Congress to vote 'yes.'

"PBMs that inflate Americans' prescription drug costs, force pharmacy closures, and block access to Americans' pharmacists and pharmacies of choice must be stopped. The work done in this Congress and the last has led to this moment, and pharmacies appreciate the work that pharmacy champions like Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Ga.), Sens. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Congress as a whole, have done to get real PBM reforms to this point. This would be the first major PBM reform in Medicare Part D to pass in nearly 20 years, and as such, we reiterate that now is the time to pass these reforms."

The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026 would:

• Require the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to define and enforce "reasonable and relevant" Medicare Part D contract terms, including information about reimbursement and dispensing fees, and establish an appeals process for pharmacies to dispute terms that do not follow the reasonable and relevant standards. CMS also has enforcement authority to impose monetary penalties, and CMS will receive $188 million for implementation.
• Promote transparency by allowing CMS to track payment trends to pharmacies and pharmacy inclusion in PBM networks, including a designation of essential retail pharmacies.
• Prohibit PBM compensation in Medicare Part D from being tied to the manufacturer's list price of a drug in an effort to reduce drug prices and save money for taxpayers.

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