The Fulton County News: Pharmacies Trying to Keep Doors Open

By Jennifer Riley, Patients Come First Pennsylvania’s Executive Director

To the Editor

Across Pennsylvania, local pharmacies are disappearing at an alarming rate. Since early 2020, roughly 1,100 licensed pharmacies have closed, leaving communities with fewer options for prescriptions, vaccines, and basic health care support. Rural regions feel this most acutely, and Fulton County is no exception. When a local pharmacy closes, residents often face long drives, delayed refills, or skipped doses, creating real risks for people managing chronic conditions.

While Pennsylvania took important steps last year to rein in pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), the middlemen who decide how much pharmacies are reimbursed, far more work remains. PBMs continue to set reimbursement rates that often fall below the cost of dispensing medications. Independent pharmacists are still filling prescriptions at a loss just to keep their doors open.

Read the full LTE in the Fulton County News here.