As a practicing physician at Dakota Clinic, I have become more and more concerned about the tactics of pharmacy benefits managers, especially over the past year. Patrick Springer's story on March 30 confirmed a concern of mine for some time, which is the potential of harm to a patient because of delay in delivery of needed medication.
What happened to Arlin and Megan Fisher is inexcusable. PBM's need to be regulated in North Dakota. They don't have their act together yet. The North Dakota Legislature has a bill to accomplish this, HB 1332. Blue Cross of North Dakota fought the bill and weakened it, but it's still a good bill. It needs to be passed.
In spite of what Blue Cross may think, patients in our state still need protection. I know this as a physician.
Joseph B. Sleckman, M.D.
Fargo
