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What We're Fighting For
All across America,
independent pharmacy is dying.
We're here to stop that from happening. Through education and legislative action, we're fighting to ensure that all Minnesotans maintain access to safe, efficient, and affordable local pharmacy care, as well as working with national partners to achieve the same result in every other U.S. state.
Musical artist Jesse Welles sings his original song
"United Health"
Who are PBMs?
Pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) are middlemen in the pharmaceutical supply chain that increase costs for pharmacies & patients, delay necessary treatments, & make healthcare less accessible.
Read below to learn about why & how we're fighting them for a more equitable, effective & accessible healthcare system.
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What is PBM ABUSE?
PBMs first emerged as a means to streamline the management of prescription drug benefits for health insurance plans. However, their extortion of the market and complete lack of transparency have led to real harm for patients, healthcare providers, and those who help pay for patients' healthcare (e.g., employers, Medicare, and Minnesota's Medicaid program). Their conduct has also led to the most expensive prescription drug market in the developed world—one in which Americans are rationing their prescriptions, taking on debt to afford treatments, or completely forgoing taking their lifesaving medication because it's simply unaffordable.
"PBM abuse" is an umbrella that refers to the several abusive practices of PBMs, including but not limited to: inappropriately low or no reimbursement to pharmacies for services provided; the retroactive collection of DIR fees on Medicare claims ("clawbacks"); forcing pharmacies into abusive, one-sided contracts; "steering" patients to pharmacies they own and operate; and making patients take expensive brand name drugs when cheaper generic alternatives exist.
The Sunlight Report
on UnitedHealth
HEALTH CARE un-covered’s new Sunlight Report on UnitedHealth Group (UHG) is a first-of-its kind look at the nearly 2,700 acquisitions and internally created subsidiaries that make up UHG, the largest healthcare conglomerate in the world. Using the analysis of publicly available data, the report was designed specifically to help the public more clearly grasp the scope of the company’s reach (and that of others’ like them).
THE STATE OF
LOCAL PHARMACY IN MINNESOTA
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MN zip codes with no pharmacy
Data from Luke Slindee · Last updated September 6, 2024
What TAKING ACTION looks like:
Regulatory Reforms
Reviewing and updating existing regulations to address legislative loopholes used by PBMs to ensure that they operate in a way that benefits pharmacies, patients, and healthcare as a whole.
Demanding Transparency
Implementing regulations that enhance transparency about PBM practices, including pricing arrangements and rebates.
Promoting Competition
Addressing monopolization and encouraging competition between PBMs, which helps increases accountability and ensure fair negotiations with pharmacies and drug manufacturers.
Collaboration
Healthcare providers can play a role by negotiating fair terms with PBMs, ensuring that patient care is not compromised due to financial considerations.
is critical to the health of Minnesota's
local pharmacies, patients, & communities
PBM REFORM
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MNIndys in action
Members of our organization succeeded in helping pass two critical pharmacy-focused provisions during the 2025 MN state legislative session:
1. Establish a Single PBM (SPBM) model for Medicaid to increase transparency and ensure fair reimbursement to pharmacies. All Managed Care Organizations (MCOs), such as HealthPartners and UCare, who administer prescription benefits on behalf of Medicaid patients must use a single PBM, which will be chosen by the state of Minnesota. This will save the state a ton in admin fees, ensures that pharmacies are paid appropriately (NADAC + the state’s fee-for-service dispensing fee), and increases transparency.
2. Establish a Directed Pharmacy Payment Program (DPPP), which will help prevent further closures until the SPBM goes into effect. Qualified pharmacies will be paid a $4.50 dispensing fee for all MCO claims for Medicaid patients, effectively increasing pharmacies’ current dispensing fee of $0.00 to $0.80 per prescription to $4.50. Qualified pharmacies are defined as Indys, pharmacies in pharmacy deserts, and common ownership with 12 or less stores. This legislation will be in effect until mid-2027.
Currently, our Legislative Working Group and other MNIndys members are continuing to work with lobbyists, a public affiars team, and MN state legislators to craft a game plan for the 2026 MN legislative session. Stay tuned via our newsletter, the MNIndys Mailer!
What YOU can do to help
using scripts, templates, guides, & videos from our friends at St. Paul Corner Drug.
Our friends at St. Paul Corner Drug have now spent several years keeping track of ongoing legislation that is relevant to pharmacy at both the state and federal levels. Head to their State (MN) Initiatives page or Federal Initiatives page to check out what we and advocates across the country are working on!
Use the grassroots tools below to send a message to your legislators about relevant bills with just a few clicks. You can also mail them a letter or email them directly—we promise, their staff checks every communication, so EVERY message matters!
STATE (MN)
There are no state-level tools we're aware of right now. Check back later!
FEDERAL
Have you experienced PBM abuse? How important is your independent pharmacy to your health? Tell the Governor's office using our confidential Google Form.
Minnesotans' complaints are the fuel for accountability! Helpful instructions for how to file a complaint with the MN Department of Commerce (which is responsible for enforcing consumer protections) can be found here.
Help the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) ensure access to fair & competitive healthcare markets for Americans by submitting a healthcare competition complaint.
MNIndys members testify at the MN Capitol
The MNIndys' Legislative Working Group serves as a go-to resource for legislators working on bills to support Minnesota's independent and other community-based pharmacies.
Check out these videos to see MNIndys leaders Andrew Russell, RPh (Elko New Market Family Pharmacy), John Hoeschen, RPh (St. Paul Corner Drug), and Hildie Hoeschen, RN (St. Paul Corner Drug) testify before the MN Legislature in support of bills we fought to pass during the 2025 session.
FUNDING
MNIndys is a nonprofit organization.
Our efforts are entirely funded by MNIndys members and donors.