02/19/2026
**This is a time sensitive story, contact our local Senator Elaine Bowers TODAY about SB 360**
Local pharmacists support SB 360 for PBM reform
By Melanie Musselman
Dispatch Staff
Did you know that 83% of the time, local pharmacies are getting paid below cost to fill a prescription? According to Brandon McCune, pharmacist in charge at Ferguson Rexall Drug, it’s due to that reason and other factors that in the last decade more than 50 independent pharmacies have closed in Kansas, many of them in the last few years.
After policy reform efforts in 2025 and now this year, progress is being made in the form of Senate Bill 360 which passed out of the Kansas Senate Committee on Financial Institutions and Insurance on Friday, Feb. 6.
SB 360 is known as the Kansas Consumer Prescription Protection and Accountability Act and targets spread pricing by the Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) among other reforms. According to the Kansas Pharmacists Association, PBMs are companies that manage prescription benefits and process claims on behalf of insurance companies, employers and the government. They decide which medications are covered, how much they cost patients, and how much pharmacies are paid.
“Unfortunately, PBMs have exploited their position as a middleman to generate massive profits, driving up costs for patients, wasting taxpayer dollars and putting small community pharmacies at risk,” stated a KPA fact sheet.
McCune highlights the main points of the bill.
“SB 360 limits audits by PBMs, sets fair dispensing fees for independent pharmacies to help us stay open, and it’s going to lower prices for our patients by passing the manufacturer rebates directly to them at the point of sale,” explained McCune.
Time is of the essence because tomorrow, (Thursday, Feb. 19) is the critical “turnaround” day, marking the deadline for most bills to pass their chamber of origin (House or Senate) to remain active.
“We encourage everyone to contact their senator by Feb. 19. We’re really hoping the bill is debated on the Senate floor this week, so now is the time to let them know if you haven’t,” said McCune.
Scott Patterson, pharmacist and owner of Patterson’s Health Mart Pharmacy with locations in Clay Center, Abilene, Salina and Lincoln, said SB 360 allows any self-insured or self-pay plan to opt in or out of the new guidelines. Patterson said we are asking for the reimbursement rate to be the same as that of Medicaid which is $10.50 per prescription.
“We need to have a fair price on prescriptions. The American public has been footing the bill on the world’s drug research and development for too long.”
Patterson said it will be an uphill battle to bring the bill to debate on the floor due to the powerful pharmacy lobby in Kansas.
So McCune said this is where we need grassroots involvement. McCune said there is a simple way to let your voice be heard on this issue and support independent pharmacies in Kansas. The Independent Pharmacy Association of Kansas has provided this link which will allow you to fill out a message to your senator in support of SB 360.
https://votervoice.net/mobile/IPAKS/campaigns/133743/respond
Other than the link, McCune encourages the public to call or email their local senator which is Elaine Bowers, District 36 in Clay, Cloud, Jewell, Lincoln, Mitchell, Osborne, Ottawa, Republic, Rooks, Russell, Smith and Washington Counties in addition to parts of Marshall and Phillips Counties.
If the public has any questions about PBM reform or SB 360, both McCune and Patterson would be happy to answer them. Feel free to call either McCune at Ferguson Rexall Drug, (785) 632-3121 or Patterson at Patterson’s Health Mart Pharmacy, (785) 632-3115.
