APCI said TRICARE beneficiaries deserve to fill their prescriptions at trusted pharmacies and called on senators to audit the program to ensure Express Scripts is not padding profits at taxpayers' expense.
"TRICARE beneficiaries deserve to fill their prescriptions at trusted pharmacies and not line the pockets of a PBM," said APCI in an X post. "Senators should audit the program to make sure the PBM isn't padding profits on the backs of taxpayers."
Senators questioned July 16 whether the financial details of the military's TRICARE pharmacy program benefit Express Scripts, the program's exclusive contractor, more than military beneficiaries. Sen. Elizabeth Warren raised concerns about anti-competitive tactics, noting that since 2022 more than 13,000 local pharmacies have left the TRICARE network, leaving nearly 400,000 military families scrambling to find a new in-network pharmacy, according to Army Times.
In 2024, the Office of Personnel Management inspector general found that Express Scripts overcharged the American Postal Workers Union Health Plan and the federal government by roughly $45 million. Warren said at the July 16 hearing that "the same language that Express Scripts used to milk other government plans out of millions of dollars is also present in TRICARE," while Express Scripts president Adam Kautzner said the contractor "does not engage in spread pricing," according to Federal News Network.
Express Scripts has held the exclusive TRICARE pharmacy contract since 2009 and was awarded a seven-year renewal in 2021 to serve 9.6 million active-duty service members, their family members, and retirees through 2029. The Defense Health Agency pays Express Scripts billions in taxpayer dollars to manage the TRICARE benefit while Express Scripts also owns and operates two mail-order pharmacies that TRICARE beneficiaries are steered toward, including Accredo specialty pharmacy, according to Federal News Network.
APCI is a member-owned group purchasing organization serving independent pharmacies in 31 states and is dedicated to helping independent pharmacies compete and thrive through collective purchasing power, advocacy, and operational support, according to APCI.
