CVS was hit with major backlash over a mass text sent to customers warning about price hikes and closures.
The company released a massive campaign to customers in Louisiana, urging them to reach out to lawmakers about a proposed bill.
CVS has been slammed by Louisiana lawmakers for a mass text condemning a House bill[/caption]
The text urges customers to call their lawmakers to denounce the bill, claiming it would lead to closures and price hikes[/caption]
House Bill 358, which surfaced on Wednesday, would ban pharmacy benefit managers from owning pharmacies.
The goal is to stop big companies from using their buying power to price out local, independent pharmacies, which would give customers fewer choices, according to supporters.
However, CVS claims the bill would force them to close 119 pharmacies in the state, affecting a million patients, 22,000 of whom receive high-cost specialty drugs that smaller pharmacies may find difficult to handle.
The company also said the closures would put 2,700 employees out of work.
“Last minute legislation in Louisiana threatens to close your CVS Pharmacy — your medication cost may go up and your pharmacist may lose their job,” read one of the texts CVS sent to customers as part of its lobbying campaign.
However, lawmakers claimed CVS was using “fear tactics” to scare its customers.
The lawmakers believe the bill will help stand up to massive companies that are squeezing out local pharmacies.
“It is about time something in this building we have done tells a national industry we’re not going to stand for it anymore,” said Baton Rouge Representative Dixon McMakin, told The Shreveport-Bossier City Advocate.
He said some of the messages CVS had sent out claimed that lawmakers were threatening to close pharmacies.
“No we’re not, you liars. Quit being liars. Quit using scare tactics.”
However, CVS believes the impacts of the bill would be far-reaching with chief pharmacy officer Lucille Accetta claiming it would “cripple” health care access and affordability in the state.
“It is shutting us completely down as a trusted health care pharmacy,” she said.
Accetta added that the legislation would bring about a “health care crisis,” saying that neither legislators nor Governor Jeff Landry understand the impact of the policy change.
However, Landry responded on X, sharing an official statement.
“CVS Pharmacy’s mass text message yesterday is the exact reason we need HB 358 to pass,” he wrote.
“Abusing patient’s [sic] sensitive information to push a political message is completely unethical and manipulative and we will not stand for it.”
The House passed the bill on an 88-4 vote, but the Senate will need to agree on Thursday before it can go to Gov. Landry’s desk for a signature.
“Drug prices soaring? Thank PBMs, the Profiteering Big Money, for gaming the system,” Landry tweeted.
“They hurt patients and small businesses. No more, not here — let’s rein in PBMs now!”
PHARMACY CRACKDOWN
This isn’t the first bill that has gone after major pharmaceutical companies, as House Bill 264, which would ban pharmacy benefit managers from steering customers to their own pharmacies, was introduced.
Again, CVS argued that such changes could affect thousands of people.
“A backroom deal isn’t the best way to proceed,” said Acceetta.
However, Opelousas Rep. Dustin Miller said the issue has been debated for years and that HB358 would give CVS time to make the changes it needs to keep pharmacies open.
“We have set the effective date of this bill January 2027,” said Miller.
“We will be here and have a whole other session if there is anything that we have to address.”
Arkansas has passed a similar bill, but CVS has filed a lawsuit to try to stop it.
“We will do anything and everything that we can to keep our pharmacy operations up and running in Louisiana,” said CVS spokesperson Amy Thibault.
The U.S. Sun has reached out to CVS for comment.
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry supports the bill, calling the mass text ‘manipulative’[/caption]
CVS said thousands of employees would be affected by potential closures[/caption]
