Welcome Back to PBM on the Rocks!

Join Lord Dr. Jeremy and the PUTT Cocktail crew with special guests John Farina (AHF) & Kris Rhea (Pharmacy Marketplace) as they unpack the summer's most significant state and federal legislative updates, explore the CVS Omnicare lawsuit verdict, and discuss its ripple effects on independent pharmacies including retaliatory actions by PBMs.

From shedding light on the critical role of independent pharmacies in our healthcare system - including the challenges they face with pharmacy MAC appeals, and the innovative solutions being developed to help them recover lost funds - to discussing how middlemen are draining resources from the American economy without delivering value - this episode is a must-listen for anyone passionate about reform, independent pharmacy advocacy, and the fight against PBM overreach in our healthcare system.

Music by JuliusH | Production & Editing by Shannon Wightman-Girard

North Carolina’s House Bill 163 would require pharmacies to be reimbursed at NADAC (National Average Drug Acquisition Cost) plus a fair dispensing fee, which would protect NC pharmacies - ensuring they can stay in business and continue providing critical care to patients. As usual, PBMs are spreading misinformation designed to scare patients and lawmakers by mislabeling these reforms as “taxes” and falsely claiming reforms will increase premiums.

Join the PUTT cocktail crew with NC pharmacy owners Wes Hickman, PharmD, & Stephen Joyce, RPh (PUTT board member) as they break down the benefits of HB 163, dispel the myths that PBM deceptions create, and discuss the importance of building strong relationships - because when it comes to pharmacy issues and helpful reform legislation, pharmacists really are the smartest people in the room.

Music by JuliusH | Production & Editing by Shannon Wightman-Girard

What happens when the largest players in healthcare prioritize profit over patients? In this episode, we take a deep dive into the persistent monopolistic practices plaguing the industry.

Join the PUTT cocktail crew and special guest Emma Freer, Health Policy Analyst at the American Economic Liberties Project, as they explore the groundbreaking influence of Lina Khan at the FTC and her enduring impact on efforts to combat corporate monopolies across industries. From PBM reform legislation, to the dangerous conflicts of interest stemming from vertical integration across the healthcare spectrum, they break down the systemic issues affecting pharmacy and discuss actionable solutions for building a better, fairer system.

Music by JuliusH | Production & Editing by Shannon Wightman-Girard

How can independent pharmacies tackle major challenges like reimbursement disparities, PBM legislative gaslighting, and advocating for fair policies in the healthcare industry? Join host Lord Dr. Jeremy, Alabama Independent Pharmacy Alliance's Trent McLemore, and the PUTT cocktail crew as they dive deep into the power of association and independent pharmacy unity and grassroots action as tools to amplify pharmacy and patient voices to get meaningful state legislation passed.

Music by JuliusH | Production & Editing by Shannon Wightman-Girard

Counterfeit medications are on the rise, and behind this growing crisis lies a web of questionable practices and systemic failures perpetrated by PBMs throughout the healthcare industry. Listen in as Lord Dr Jeremy & the PUTT cocktail crew explore critical issues that affect the safety, affordability, and accessibility of prescription drugs and challenge the monopolistic grip PBMs hold over the healthcare market.

Joining us is Shabbir Safdar, Executive Director of The Partnership for Safe Medicines, an expert committed to exposing these issues and fighting for safer, more transparent practices. Together, they’ll unpack how PBM-driven anticompetitive games contribute to widespread vulnerabilities in drug safety and affordability.

Music by JuliusH | Production & Editing by Shannon Wightman-Girard

Join PUTT podcasters Jeremy Counts, Lauren Young and Andrew Russell as they host the long awaited premier of Patient Protector's explosive docuseries, Modern Medical Mafia, live from Rio, Wisconsin.

Full docuseries available for streaming on Amazon Prime 1.21.25

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Production and Editing by Shannon Wightman-Girard

How can independent pharmacies thrive in a landscape dominated by consolidation and inequitable practices? In this episode, we explore the critical symbiosis between independent pharmacies and independent software providers. We’re joined by Kevin Minassian, President of Datascan Pharmacy Software, and Sarah Callioras, Datascan’s Vice President, to discuss the challenges facing the pharmacy sector and the power of supporting independent vendors.

From alarming trends like private equity buyouts of software providers to the parallels they share with PBM industry consolidation, our guests unpack how these practices are weakening the pharmacy industry. They passionately advocate for unity among independent pharmacies and vendors as the key to fighting back—and shine a light on federal legislation H.R. 9096 that could bring much-needed relief to everyone in pharmacy.

Special Guests: Kevin Minassian & Sarah Callioras, Datascan Pharmacy Software

Opening music by JuliusH | Production & Editing by Shannon Wightman-Girard

This special episode of PBM on the Rocks is recorded live from Hell’s Kitchen, NYC, in honor of World AIDS Day. Join us as we tackle the critical issues surrounding HIV/AIDS, featuring enlightening conversations with our expert guests. Together, we dispel harmful myths, confront stigma, and shine a spotlight on the barriers to care created by the broken pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) system.

Key Topics Discussed

• Dispelling AIDS Myths: Breaking down the harmful stereotypes and misinformation that fuel stigma.
• Promoting HIV Care & Awareness: Exploring the importance of HIV prevention, treatment, and education for improving quality of life and community health.
• PBM Restrictions & Barriers: An inside look into how pharmacy benefit managers create insurmountable obstacles for patients in accessing affordable and timely care.
• The 340B Program Under Fire: Understanding how PBMs’ practices adversely impact one of the most crucial programs for supporting marginalized communities.

Special Guests: John Farina, AIDS Healthcare Foundation | Danny Dang, Pharmacists Society of the State of New York | Fareed Choudry, Pharmacist, AIDS Healthcare Foundation

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Join Lord Dr Jeremy and PUTT Executive Director Monique Whitney, as they host special guests Vinny Chiffy of FixRx & APCI political guru Greg Reybold to discuss how New York pharmacists paved the way for real talk about PBMs with their FixRx campaign, staying loud about PBM reform during a lame duck session, and how independent pharmacies have more political influence than they realize.

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Production & Editing by Shannon Wightman-Girard

Join Lord Dr Jeremy and PUTT Executive Director Monique Whitney as they host a stream of pharmacy advocacy powerhouses at day 2 of the annual NCPA Conference

#pharmacy #pbmreform

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Production & Editing by Shannon Wightman-Girard