Letter to the editor: SB 41 is a win for patients and providers

As a practicing rheumatologist in Redlands, I see firsthand how delays and denials in receiving care hurt my patients. One of the most common areas where my patients struggle with these roadblocks comes when accessing medication. Why? Because of the practices of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). These drug pricing ‘middlemen’ decide which medications are included in insurance companies’ formularies – essentially choosing which drugs can and cannot be accessed. That’s why I want to thank Governor Newsom and California lawmakers for passing SB 41, an important step toward putting patients, not profits, first.

By banning spread pricing, requiring PBMs to pass rebates to patients, and increasing operational transparency, this law will help ensure that patients can actually access the medications intended for them. For many of my patients, especially those with chronic rheumatic conditions, this can mean the difference between starting a treatment on time or facing irreversible disease progression and organ damage.

The leadership by California’s lawmakers on this issue is a major win for patients and doctors statewide. I’m grateful to our policymakers for standing up to protect access to care and rein in practices that have too often put corporate gain above patient health.

Dr. Christina Downey is a practicing rheumatologist in Redlands.