04/22/2026
Politico— The state Capitol was crowded with white coats on Tuesday, as hundreds of pharmacists lobbied lawmakers to support the Patient Access to Pharmacy Act before the end of the Legislative session in June. The Legislation would require pharmacy benefit managers, or PBMs, to pay pharmacies the national average drug acquisition cost, or the actual cost of the drug to pharmacies, along with a professional dispensing fee that is equal to the Medicaid fee.
It aims to ensure that pharmacies are getting paid the full amount the drug costs them, and would create limitations on PBMs' ability to substitute or alter prescriptions without approval from a provider. It would also require PBMs to create a dispute process for low reimbursement rates and pricing issues.
The bill passed the Senate with bipartisan support, but has been stalled in the Assembly. It has the support of 115 sponsors on both sides of the aisle in the Assembly, but there is concern that the measure would drive up insurance premiums.
Vinny Chiffy, owner of Parkway Drugs in Utica, said his company and many others across the state are in danger of closing if the state doesn’t pass the measure.
“We love what we do, we love taking care of our patients, and patients depend on us,” Chiffy told POLITICO. “My stores alone, we do more than 300 deliveries a day. What would happen if we’re not around?”
