GoodRx, PBMs Accused of Suppressing Reimbursements to Independent Pharmacies

Nov 4 (Reuters) - Drug coupon aggregator GoodRx and pharmacy benefit managers including CVS Caremark (CVS.N), opens new tab and Express Scripts have been hit with at least three class action lawsuits accusing them of working together to suppress reimbursements to small pharmacies for generic prescription drugs.

The first lawsuit, opens new tab was filed by Minnesota-based Keaveny Drug in federal court in Los Angeles last Wednesday, and another was filed, opens new tab in the same court on Friday by Michigan-based Community Care Pharmacy. A third lawsuit, opens new tab was filed on Friday by Pennsylvania-based Old Baltimore Pike Apothecary and Smith's Pharmacy in Providence, Rhode Island, federal court.

Community Care sued only Los Angeles-based GoodRx. The other plaintiffs sued GoodRx and the PBMs, which also include MedImpact Healthcare Systems and Navitus Health Solutions.

"CVS Caremark generally reimburses independent pharmacies at higher levels than chain drugstores, including CVS pharmacies," CVS Caremark spokesperson Mike DeAngelis said in an email. "These lawsuits are entirely without merit, and we will vigorously defend against them."

The other defendants did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

PBMs negotiate prescription drug prices between insurers, pharmacies and drugmakers, and directly reimburse pharmacies for prescription drugs under the terms of the plans they have negotiated. They also offer discount cards that patients can use at their pharmacy networks, which were historically often used by people without insurance to pay for drugs out of pocket.

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