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Too many Americans are struggling to access and afford their healthcare. But, adults largely agree on what policymakers at the state level should be doing to deliver relief to patients at the pharmacy counter. A new nationwide poll on behalf of PhRMA finds that 86 percent agree that lowering out-of-pocket costs should be a top priority. A majority in all 50 states (plus D.C.) support solutions that would help patients pay less for their medicines—and provide better oversight of middlemen. Among the most-popular solutions is ensuring that patients don’t pay more for their medicine than insurance companies or their middlemen, such as pharmacy-benefit managers (PBMs): 80 percent of adults agree that lawmakers should require them to pass the rebates and discounts that they receive directly to patients. Other popular solutions include: Ensure that insurers and middlemen are held accountable for their role in creating barriers between patients and the medicines that they need. (83 percent) Require all insurance plans to cover certain medications used to treat chronic conditions from day one of the plan year. (81 percent) Require insurers to count patient assistance—such as cost-sharing assistance—toward the patient's deductibles. (76 percent) Require insurers to cover medicines from day one by offering at least some plan options that exclude medicines from deductibles and only charge set copay amounts. (76 percent) Cap the amount of cost-sharing—such as deductibles and coinsurance—that patients pay out-of-pocket for their medicines. (75 percent) As lawmakers look for ways to address affordability and access to healthcare, many are questioning abuses of the system by PBMs and insurers. Luckily, there are several solutions that state legislators can implement today that would bring real improvements and more accountability. To learn more, visit PhRMA.org/States. This poll was conducted by Morning Consult, on behalf of PhRMA, in late March, among a national sample of 20,017 adults.

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