General Awareness of PBM Practices Driving Optimism for Independent Pharmacies | NCPA 2025

With all that is going on in the community pharmacy industry regarding reimbursement and reforming pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs)—despite a lack of movement on the federal level—experts agree that independent pharmacy owners should be optimistic for what is yet to come.

“I think that independent pharmacies, pharmacists, pharmacy owners—the list goes on and on—should feel very positive and optimistic,” Lucas Morgan, Esq, shareholder with Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, told Drug Topics. “Now, I'm also not naive to the fact that we've been sitting here with years and years of challenges and constantly having our backs up against the wall. But regardless of what happens at the state level, whether legislation is enacted, not enacted, gets reformed, revised, there is an awareness about PBMs.”

Along with his colleague, Dae Lee, PharmD, Esq, CPBS, also a shareholder with Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, Morgan discussed state- and federal-level PBM reform at the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) 2025 Annual Convention & Expo.

As part of our interview with this duo of law experts, we first addressed some of the most notable state-level PBM reform statutes that have been making headlines throughout 2025, including Utah’s pass-through rebate model as well as Colorado’s attempt to delink PBM compensation.

Now, Lee and Morgan are encapsulating the state-level reform discussion and applying those sentiments toward the potential for future federal PBM reform. While little has been seen through to fruition historically, they are optimistic for an independent pharmacy profession that has been continuously championing for more transparency and advocating for reform.

Read more of our coverage from NCPA 2025.

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