PBM on the Rocks

April is Stress Awareness Month. Are you aware of how much stress PBMs cause?

Listen in as the PUTT Cocktail Crew hosts WayPoint Rx's Ben Coakley and California pharmacy owner Sona Kazangian. From pharmacy benefits plan options, to reimbursement issues - the gloves come off when the subject of PBMs is on the table!

Episode Cocktail Menu:

• Spicy Bloody Mary
• Mojito
• Black Cherry Vodka & Soda
• Wine in a Box
• Heineken
• Solar Eclipse Cocktail
• Topo Chico Margarita
• Bottle of Wine with a Straw

Find all of our episode cocktail recipes at TruthRx.org/pbm-on-the-rocks

• Opening music by JuliusH
• Production & Editing: Shannon Wightman-Girard

From the patient travesties inflicted by the Change Healthcare cyberattack, to independent pharmacy future viability, pharmacy unions, and PBM parallels on Wendy's surge pricing - when you put pharmacy internet icons in the cocktail crew, there's no holds barred on what might be said!

Special Guests: The Accidental Pharmacist & The Angry Pharmacist

Episode Cocktail Menu:

• Irish Mule
• The Depressed Pharmacist
• Red Wine
• Rye-Rish Manhattan

Opening music by JuliusH

Production & Editing by Shannon Wightman-Girard

Welcome to our February Episode! From industry-wide issues like prior authorizations, to disease states, pain management, and vitamin supplement shams - when PBMs and their parent health insurance parent corporations meddle in healthcare, the results are rarely good for anyone.

Special Guests: Rheumatologist Dr. Steven Baak, & pharmacy owner Anne Hutchens

Episode Cocktail Menu:

• Jeremy's favorite IPA
• Mock Aperol Spritz
• Vodka on the rocks with an olive
• Rusty Nail
• PBM Kinda Love (red wine spritzer)
• Opening music by JuliusH
• Editing & production by Shannon Wightman-Girard

Only 2 weeks into the new year, and the aftermath of CMS’ new DIR fee rule is already wreaking havoc. 

Listen in as our January cocktail crew breaks down the bull. From the DIR “hangover” (aka Medicare-mageddon) to PBMs’ newest reimbursement torture tactics, and frauds that give pharmacy a bad name - it's a timely dissection of industry stupidity where no CEO is safe.

Special Guests: Brandi Chane, LPN & Van Coble, RPh (retired)

Episode Cocktail Menu:

• Magic Grapefruit Greyhound
• Hibiscus Mule
• Urethra Fire (aka Bulleit on ice)
• Dragon's Milk (bourbon barrel stout)
• Black Cherry Vodka Spritzer

Visit TruthRx.org/pbm-on-the-rocks for episode cocktail recipes

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

Understaffing, Unionization, & a Questionable Carton of Eggnog

Thanks to the vertical integration of U.S. healthcare, the greed-based practices of PBMs and their health insurance parent corporations negatively affect everything from chain staffing, to patient access and safety at all levels of pharmacy.

Listen in as our December cocktail crew takes a deep dive into the issues. From theoretical staffing shortages and pharmacy scope of practice, to addressing safety problems in retail pharmacy, and impending unionization - no subject is taboo during this breakdown!   

With Special Guests: Shane Jerominski (The Accidental Pharmacist), & Maurice Shaw (Rx Comedy)

To learn more about the movement for pharmacy unionization, visit PharmacyGuild.org

Episode Cocktail Menu:

• “Celpy Eggnog”
• Crown Apple (in the bottle)
• Store bought Eggnog (in a carton)
• Red Wine (in a glass)
• Holiday Sangria

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

Welcome to our scary October episode

... and it doesn't get any scarier than corporate chain pharmacy policies and (the most terrifying) DIR FEES.

Listen in as our very special guest, The Angry Pharmacist, joins this month's cocktail conversation. From DEA metrics, to wholesalers, pharmacy organizations & PBM problems - no subject is safe from these silver tongues!

Episode Cocktail Menu:

• the DIR (aka a bottle of Irish whiskey)
• the BER (aka Pumpkin Cider)
• the ComeVisitSatan (scotch whiskey neat with a side of cabernet)
• Angry Pharmacy Juice (aka a plastic bottle of cheap whiskey)

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

It's Mocktails and PBM Mockery!

From schadenfreude moments like CVS's stock drop, to the differences between kickbacks and healthcare rebates (there are none), and even a foray into political process - listen in as the PBM Rocks cocktail crew gets real about the status of PBM reform efforts, and why it's so important to get involved.

Special Guests: Dave Bagot & Mark Boesen

Episode (Mock)tail Menu:

• Kentucky Mule
• Coconut Mojito
• Coca-Cola (on the rocks)
• Diet Pepsi (in a can)
• Local Draft IPA

For this episode's and all PBM on the Rocks' cocktail recipes, visit TruthRx.org/PBM-on-the-Rocks

• PBM on the Rocks music by JuliusH
• Editing & Production by Shannon Wightman-Girard

From recent federal hearings and impending legislative action, to pharmacy DIR fees, copay accumulators, and whole host of other PBM fraud-based practices - in this special girls' night episode, the women of pharmacy put pharmacy benefit manipulator practices in their rightful place... 6 feet under.

with special guests Brandi Chane & Teresa Dickinson

Episode Cocktail Menu:

• Spiked Ice Cream Float
• Lime Rickey
• Hurricane
• White Wine Spritzer

For PBM on the Rocks cocktail recipes, visit TruthRx.org/PBM-on-the-Rocks

Opening music by JuliusH

Production: Shannon Wightman-Girard

Episode 6: Pharmacy Deserts, Corporate Greed, & a Rob Roy

Have you ever wondered why some insurance plans require patients to travel to a pharmacy 20 to 30 minutes away for their prescriptions instead of covering prescriptions at the patient's local nearby pharmacy? Or, why lobbyists publish opinion articles in national news sources claiming that PBMs lower costs and save employers money, yet both prescription costs and premiums seem to be constantly rising?

Welcome to this month's cocktail hour. From issues with lobbyists, brokers, & corporate greed; to state & federal politics, PhRMA, & why shopping local includes your neighborhood independent pharmacy - no area of healthcare is safe when it comes to this discussion!

Featuring Special Guest John Farina with the AIDS Healthcare Foundation

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This Month's Cocktail Menu:

• Rob Roy
• Limoncello
• Margarita Hard Seltzer
• IPA

For cocktail recipes & additional insights, visit our website: TruthRx.org/pbm-on-the-rocks

Episode 5: GPOs, Small Business Economics, & a Sweet Tea

Did you know that Group Purchasing Organizations (GPOs) are PBMs' even more shadowy twin, and they're being formed to add additional layers of complexity into the drug pricing market?

Listen in as the PUTT Cocktail Crew welcomes Texas independent pharmacy owner Brandi Chane, and patient advocate Julie Hoffman to the table. From the dangers of GPOs, to copay accumulators, pharmacy deserts, "loss leaders", and their destructive economic effect on small business pharmacies and their patients - it's an illuminating conversation you don't want to miss!

• Opening music by JuliusH from Pixabay" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" class="ql-size-small">JuliusH
• Production by Shannon Wightman-Girard

Episode Cocktail Menu:

• Manhattan
• Irish Whiskey
• Mimosa Seltzer
• Sweet Tea