Letters to the Editor

Clerks in clerk’s office?

Editor:

Has anyone had to do business at the county clerk’s office lately?

There are two employees tending the whole office. In my line of work, I deal with the clerk’s office on a weekly basis. I have done that for 20 years.

I have always dealt with an office full of friendly, professional and helpful employees. The two employees that are left, amidst bouts of stress and frustration, are still friendly, show dedication and are doing their best to assist customers while tending to all the phone calls.

That’s not always good enough for an irate customer that has been waiting to be helped. Also, try doing business at the Bureau of elections department. Same situation.

All the senior employees are also gone. Who will run our November election? Under this administration, almost the entire office of good employees is gone. That’s a red flag on our “elected” officials.

Cynthia Sanchez

Belen

Lowering prescription drug cost

Editor:

Too many New Mexico families are forced to make impossible choices between life-saving medications and basic necessities. New Mexicans continue to face rising prescription drug costs year after year.

What many don’t realize is that the largest driver of skyrocketing out-of-pocket drug costs is pharmacy benefit managers or PBMs.

As a physician, my responsibility extends beyond the exam room. That’s why I’m speaking up against these powerful corporate middlemen that too often prioritize their bottom line over patient well-being.

PBMs control the price patients pay at the pharmacy counter and, too often, patients are paying more than they should.

PBMs negotiate rebates and discounts with drug manufacturers in exchange for placing drugs on insurance plans. These rebates and discounts significantly lower the prices PBMs pay. However, instead of passing savings on to patients, PBMs often charge copays and out-of-pocket costs based on the full price of medications.

The impact of PBMs’ profiteering on patients is staggering. While the net prices for brand named drugs have increased about 1 percent annually, out-of-pocket costs patients pay have risen by 50 percent over the last decade.

Why? It is difficult to know. PBMs employ complex pricing structures and fee systems that obscures their actions. This strategy has worked out well for the top 3 PBMs, whose profits have skyrocketed from $6.3 billion in 2012 to $27.6 billion in 2022. Meanwhile, patients struggle to afford vital medications.

In 2022, N.M. Attorney General Hector Balderas secured a $13.7 million settlement from Centene Corporation, a PBM processing prescriptions for our state’s Medicaid program. Centene wasn’t only profiting off New Mexico patients — they’ve set aside $1.1 billion to settle claims from other states they also defrauded. This flagrant theft from New Mexicans is a glaring signal that the PBM model is fundamentally broken.

I serve as executive director and medical director at Casa de Salud, a community health center in Albuquerque’s South Valley, with a new location opening soon in Valencia County. At Casa de Salud, we’ve built a model of care recognizing that true health encompasses mind, body, and spirit. But our efforts to provide dignified, accessible healthcare are continually undermined by a prescription drug system that places profits over people.

To truly tackle the problem of exploding prescription drug costs, we need bold action. This includes mandating full transparency in PBM contracts, prohibiting spread pricing, requiring PBMs to pass through all rebates and discounts to patients or health plans, and implementing fiduciary standards that require PBMs to act in the best interest of those they serve.

I call on our federal legislators and regulators to prioritize PBM reform. Let’s work together to create a more transparent, accountable, and patient-centered prescription drug market. My patients — mostly working South Valley families who sometimes struggle to make ends meet — are counting on our elected officials to fix this. We owe it to them, and to future generations, to create a prescription drug system that truly serves the people.

Anjali Taneja

Albuquerque