Pharmacy crisis grips Southern Wisconsin as a shortage of pharmacists leads to burnout, delays, and closures across independent and chain stores. Patients like Stephanie Sonnenburg, who suffer from chronic pain, struggle to access vital medication due to a lack of pharmacy staff and cumbersome regulations. Sonnenburg’s story highlights the challenges faced by both pharmacists and patients in navigating a complex and profit-driven healthcare system controlled by powerful corporate interests.
Pharmacist Ryan Bender sheds light on the root cause of the crisis, pointing to pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) as the main culprits behind the industry’s struggles. PBMs dictate drug prices and reimbursement rates, leaving pharmacies with minimal profits and forcing them to cut costs, leading to reduced staff and operational hours.
While some lawmakers have proposed bills to reform the PBM market, progress has been slow, leaving pharmacists like Bender and patients like Sonnenburg caught in the middle of a broken system. As the industry grapples with closures and staffing shortages, the future of community pharmacies remains uncertain, posing a threat to patient care and public health.
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