Amid Rural Pharmacy Closures, Ciscomani Visits Desert Life Pharmacy in SaddleBrooke

SaddleBrooke, AZ - U.S. Congressman Juan Ciscomani (AZ-06) visited Desert Life Pharmacy in SaddleBrooke to discuss his work in Congress, meet with patients, and reiterate his support for rural pharmacies, which are critical to the health and well-being of their communities.  

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This visit comes after Ciscomani was notified that two rural pharmacies in Willcox and Benson were closing down, citing the restrictive, anticompetitive practices of Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs). 

“Local independent pharmacies are critical to rural communities as they are often the only medical provider for hundreds of miles,” said Ciscomani. “During my visit, I heard directly from constituents about the importance of local pharmacist who understand the needs of their communities firsthand. This is not the same level of personal connection you can get from a large chain or mail order pharmacy. In light of the vast consolidation of local pharmacies, we must stand for independent practices that serve our local, rural communities. Pharmacy closures force rural residents to travel long distances to receive the healthcare they need, placing an undue burden on those with limited resources and mobility and increasing the risk of delayed treatment and worsened health outcomes.” 

Independent pharmacies constantly find themselves on the losing end when trying to compete against large corporations and chains. Furthermore, larger chains oftentimes are owned by the same entity that owns the insurance company and the PBM, and therefore are able to steer patients away from their community pharmacy in order to access their life saving medications and for a higher price. This is best exemplified by the fact that the three largest PBMs own 80% of the market. 

Background: 

• In September 2024, Ciscomani delivered a speech on the floor of the House of Representatives about reports of rural pharmacies closing in Willcox and Benson. 

• In December 2023, Ciscomani voted in favor of the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act (H.R. 5378) which would bring transparency and accountability to PBMs regarding the cost they acquire drugs for and at what it cost to dispense them, which would increase price competition and address the high cost of prescription drugs. 

  • This bill passed the House of Representatives with bipartisan support by a vote of 320-71 

• In July 2023, Ciscomani cosponsored the Promoting Access to Treatments and Increasing Extremely Needed Transparency (PATIENT) Act of 2023 (H.R. 3561) which includes multiple pro-patient and consumer price transparency requirements for insurers, PBMs, and manufacturers.  

 
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