03/06/2024
While my business was in Campbell County, I live in Kenton County. Kentucky Senator Chris McDaniel , my Senator, is opposed to Senate Bill 188. Or at least he won't give an affirmative in an email or by phone. Please read and excuse any typos or grammar as I express my feelings. Chris McDaniel owns MCD concrete enterprises.
Dear Senator McDaniel,
What if all contracting jobs for concrete went out to Cohorn Concrete Construction, Straight Edge Concrete, and LK Concrete before it went to MCD Concrete Enterprises? Then if MCD were to be able to bid on a job, all of the other 3 contractors would get to see your bid before it goes to the state and adjust their bid accordingly to win the bid. Would that be fair, transparent, or even legal? Would you introduce a Bill to reign in this abuse? Now let's propose these other concrete companies have exclusive contracts for "special" projects that cost a sizable amount of money, and MCD was excluded from having access to these contracts. MCD would have access to smaller state projects, but all payments through Kentucky would be paid by your competitor. Let's say a project paid out $2,000,000 but after processing through your competitor holding the contract with Kentucky, MCD only received $1,600,000. You knew your costs for labor and materials were $1,800,000. You essentially allocated resources to help the residents of the Commonwealth have safe passage on a small piece of road that you had access to bid on, and now for all that work, you are $200,000 in the red. Is that fair? What if your competitor sent lobbyists to Frankfort reporting that if Kentucky changes how they reimburse Concrete Companies, then all projects will go up by 10%? Is that accurate or true?
I closed Fort Thomas Drug Center because of these abuses. So have another 66 pharmacies in the Commonwealth. I have seen Explanation of Benefits from patients working for large companies protected by ERISA. A prime example where the patient's husband worked for Great American Insurance where we were reimbursed $220 for a 90 day supply of Lidocaine patches that cost Fort Thomas Drug Center $240. Then OptumRx turns around and bills Great American Insurance Group $1500. The problem is the PBM.
I'm a registered Republican, and this is not a partisan issue. Every time I hear a Republican state that the government cannot interfere with the free market, I puke in my mouth. It is because the government has interfered with the free market, that is the exact reason why we are here.
Look, if the roles were reversed, I would place my constituents over Wall Street. I don't know anything about concrete, other than that it dries out over time. Independent Pharmacies are drying and dying, patients are losing affordable access to care, and PBM's are enriching their shareholders exponentially. In terms of politics, I believe in one thing...term limits. Those who represent us fail by representing those that keep them there. Pharmacies don't have deep pockets of those offering an argument. You are smart enough to realize that. I have called and emailed several times with no response. Who do you represent? Voters need to know.
Craig A. Seither, R.Ph.
Licensed Health and Life Agent
859-486-0189
