Podcasts & Videos

the PUTTcast: PBMs & the Patient Perspective

From forced mail-order medication dangers to fail-first therapy requirements, non-medical medication switching, complaint filing confusion, high drug prices, and even coverage denials; most patients' issues with U.S. healthcare have one thing in common - PBMs.

Listen in as co-hosts Monique Whitney & Scott Newman speak with powerhouse patient advocates Beth Waldron & Loretta Boesing. They'll discuss an array of important patient issues including how under the current system insurance coverage does not equal patient care, what PBM accountability should look like, and how grassroots organized patient groups could ultimately be the downfall of PBM greed-based practices.

CP50: The Temperature’s Rising- Be Brave and STOP PBM’s- A Conversation with Patient Advocate & Mom Loretta Boesing

Before her advocacy, Loretta Boesing as a social worker in hospitals assisted those without health insurance coverage. She has several years of experience as a health insurance agent, physician and hospital contractor, contracting project coordinator, and health insurance consultant. Listen in as she discusses the dangers of mail order pharmacy to all patients.

The Effects of Heat on Mail Order Medication

NBC News12 report

HORRIFYING STORIES OF FORCED MAIL-ORDER PHARMACY ARE SHARED BY PATIENTS AND HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS

Please listen to Katie’s story at the 54-minute 30-second mark.

Press Conference at a Florida Pharmacy

Forced mail-order pharmacy is risking our lives. Optum RX, CVS Caremark and Express Scripts are pharmacy benefit managers. Mostly, they started off as payment processors for insurance companies for payments to pharmacies. Then, they bought their own mail-order pharmacies that many patients find themselves forced to.

I plan on traveling to every State Board of Pharmacy across the nation and letting them know that we demand that they protect us. I also plan on speaking to every regulator to let them know that they are failing to ensure that patients have the safest options to receive medications which is through the hands of their trusted pharmacist.

I am not 100% against mail-order pharmacy, but no one should be forced as there are many risks. Mail-order could be an option but never forced or heavily incentivized.

Just a few of the issues with mail-order pharmacy

Life-threatening delays-Lack of temperature monitoring -No face to face consultations for our elderly and people chronic conditions -Stolen Medications -Lost Medications -Medications improperly stored as most medications are shipped in only a bag -Miscommunication -Medications can be damaged -Mailman cannot do consultations -Different pharmacist each time we call the mail-order pharmacy vs seeing the same pharmacist who knows us. -When we spend our money in local communities, more money comes back to the local community. -Children and pets can get the medications left on porches and doorsteps & the list goes on of over 100 issues.

I cannot do this without you. This issue will not be resolved because of me. This will happen because we united and drew the line and demanded the safest access and improved pharmaceutical care.

summer heat. This is far outside of any temperature range that most manufacturers who perform the stability testing would approve of or say is safe. Due to this, no one should be forced to use mail-order pharmacy that is so loosely regulated that it is jeopardizing the lives of many Americans and many are unaware that their life is at risk.

I was thankful yet saddened to meet with a patient whose condition worsened after the medication was shipped in the high heat all summer long. She didn’t think too much about it until she met her delivery driver outside of her home as he was delivering her life-saving medications that were shipped in only a thin box. His head was dripping with sweat and the box was hot to touch.

The patient contacted the manufacturer who does the testing and told her to discard the drug.

CVS Specialty said that they would replace the $11,000 drug but they would not provide any additional protection for the new shipment.

While on the phone with the specialty pharmacy, she contacted the FDA. The FDA told her to not take the drug after being exposed to such high-temperature extremes.

I asked the Board of Pharmacy to speak to USP prior to rushing into a regulation. USP helps write recommendations of medications during shipping that the FDA uses in its regulations.

I asked them to meet with the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy that will be addressing this issue in the next board meeting.

I asked the Board to please require additional information on how to file a complaint when patients feel like their medications may be affected.

The Board did none of the above but did state that there are advocacy groups who can help get the word out about the risks associated with medications not being stored properly and how to file a complaint with the State Board of Pharmacy. I felt as this was directed at our advocacy group who doesn't have the billions of dollars that these mail-order pharmacies have to protect medications or warn patients.

The new rule will only point patients to call the mail-order pharmacy when they have concerns about medications and heat exposure, but I warned the Board that the mail-order pharmacies are repeatedly telling patients that their medications are safe when the mail-order pharmacies are not truly tracking the exact temperature of the package and the amount of time these packages are left in extreme conditions. Most medications are stored in only a bag outside far outside of proven safe temperatures as mailboxes and trucks can exceed 120-150 degrees. They are knowingly risking our lives.

Upon watching the Florida State Board of Pharmacy rush to enact a rule that will do nothing more to protect our medications as the Board placed the responsibility on advocacy groups like mine to warn patients and as they also placed responsibility on the patient, I left the building in tears of hopelessness, but I quickly shook it off. We must keep fighting!

So WE will warn patients, and WE will and we will not stop until PBMs and their forced mail-order pharmacy are held accountable for every life they have risked.

In the meantime, this is a public health issue and forced mail-order pharmacy should urgently be stopped as no one is protecting the patients from these unethical acts.