PBM on the Rocks

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

Join Lord Dr Jeremy, PUTT Executive Director Monique Whitney, and an illustrious panel of NCPA convention guests as they discuss making headway in the fight for PBM reform, H.R. 9096, FixRx, and the upcoming documentary that may change the game.

#pharmacy #pbmreform

Opening music by JuliusH

Production & Editing by Shannon Wightman-Girard

Join Lord Dr Jeremy as he broadcasts PBM on the Rocks live from the Independent Pharmacy Alliance Medicaid Reform event in East Rutherford, NJ

Special Guests: John Giampolo, Anthony Reznik, Heather Rodgers, Raj Shah, Brian Oliveira

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Production & Editing by Shannon Wightman-Girard