Donna H.

Pharmacy Customer

“I’ve been a loyal customer of Suburban Pharmacy in Warwick for many years because I appreciate the personal service I get from the owner, Nick Shanos. Nick knows me and my family and goes out of his way to make sure we get the medicines we need, especially when our health insurance company tries to force us to use a different medication. 

When I learned that Nick is often reimbursed below his cost by giant pharmacy benefit managers, it made me angry. I believe in small businesses and resent it when big corporations like CVS try to use their power to crush the competition. I’m really grateful that Attorney General Neronha has sued CVS Caremark and the other big PBMs to stop their predatory behavior. We need independent pharmacies to survive and I hope the General Assembly will follow Congress’s lead in passing legislation to ensure that I will always be able to get my prescriptions filled at Suburban Pharmacy.”

Keith Hoffman

Former Chief of Policy and Senior Counsel, Office of Rhode Island Attorney General

“While serving as a senior leader on the executive team in Attorney General Peter Neronha’s Office, we filed a significant lawsuit against Optum Rx, CVS Caremark, and Express Scripts. These giant PBMs have exploited their market dominance to undercut independent pharmacies here in Rhode Island and across the country. They also deceived Rhode Islanders, suggesting that they secured prescription drug savings for us when in fact they caused drug prices to skyrocket. I’m proud to have been a part of the team that stood up to these companies and I’m grateful that Attorney General Neronha has endorsed me to succeed him. As Attorney General, I’ll continue the fight to ensure access to health care for all Rhode Islanders – and demand accountability from PBMs that have violated the law.”

Tim Baker

Founder, Bakers Pharmacy

“When I opened Baker’s Pharmacy in Jamestown in the early 1970’s, I was one of more than 120 independent pharmacies operating in Rhode Island. I loved serving the people of Jamestown and did so for more than 40 years, before retiring in 2019. One of the reasons I closed Baker’s Pharmacy was because pharmacy benefit managers like CVS Caremark made it too hard to stay in business. I was often getting reimbursed below my costs for prescriptions and there wasn’t anything I could do about it. We can see the results of this anti-competitive behavior today with only 12 independent pharmacies remaining open in Rhode Island.

Thanks to the leadership of Attorney General Peter Neronha, things are beginning to change. The AG’s lawsuit filed last May against the three big PBMs, CVS Caremark, Express Scripts and Optum Rx, can help level the playing field so independent pharmacies can fairly compete with the big chain drug stores. Congress and the Federal Trade Commission are also realizing that PBMs reform is long overdue. Just last week, Congress passed meaningful PBM reform and the FTC reached a settlement agreement with Express Scripts that will ensure independent pharmacies are fairly reimbursed for prescriptions and other important services they provide. Let’s hope the General Assembly recognizes that broader PBM reform is inevitable and adopts the protections Congress and the FTC have already provided to our independent pharmacies.”

Jim W.

Pharmacy Customer

“My wife and I have been loyal customers of Suburban Pharmacy in Warwick for decades. They treat you like you’re a part of the family. That’s why I resent it when my health insurer’s pharmacy benefit manager (CVS Caremark) tries to force me to go to a CVS pharmacy. If I’m in a car accident, I can go to any autobody shop I want. That’s how it should be with pharmacies. What CVS Caremark is doing in pushing me to use their own pharmacy is a blatant conflict of interest that should not be allowed.”

Gillian H.

Pharmacy Customer

“When I was child, my grandfather and two of his brothers operated Higgins pharmacy just over the Rhode Island line in Pawcatuck, CT. I remember sitting at the counter and having a grilled cheese sandwich and a malted milkshake while watching my grandfather fill prescriptions. When my husband and I moved back to Rhode Island a few years ago, we were excited to use Greenline Apothecary in Wakefield. It reminded me a lot of my grandfather’s store. We were so saddened when Greenline closed its pharmacy in Wakefield and Providence last year. I’ve since learned more about how giant pharmacy benefit managers are driving independent pharmacies out of business, often by reimbursing them below their acquisition costs for prescription medicine. We’re grateful that Attorney General Neronha has sued these big PBMs to put a stop to this predatory behavior.”

Rich Backer

Founder,
East Side Prescription Center

“I operated independent pharmacies in Providence starting in 1973, with an initial location on Elmwood Avenue and a second location opened four years later on the East Side of Providence. I eventually closed the Elmwood Avenue location and operated the East Side Prescription Center until 2016. I loved being a community pharmacist. I got to know my customers really well over the years and would often be filling prescriptions for multiple generations of the same family. Once computerization took off, and electronic claims processing of prescriptions began, the independent pharmacies were at a significant disadvantage as pharmacy benefit managers began sinking their teeth into our daily operations. They were taking an increasing piece of our revenue and it got to the point where I was essentially being told that I had to accept earning less for the valuable service I was providing. 

The worst part of this was the Drug Utilization Review (DUR) process the PBMs convinced Congress to authorize. This became a license to steal for the PBMs. At the end of each month, we could see that we made a small profit. Then, 6 or 8 months later, CVS Caremark would come in and claim they over paid you for various prescriptions and they’d take back thousands of dollars right out of our account. What a beautiful scheme it was. I’m so glad that PBMs are finally being called out for their predatory behavior. Hat’s off to Attorney General Neronha for suing CVS Caremark, Express Scripts and Optum Rx to put an end to their abusive practices.”