McKesson's 2025 ideaShare Conference Empowers Independent Pharmacies with Innovative Solutions and Advocacy Support

McKesson ideaShare conference hosted 2,500 independent pharmacies, offering over 20 continuing education courses, peer-to-peer connections, and exhibitor visits. The event announced new solutions and services, including Pinpoint Community Solutions and Health Mart Perks, and featured advocacy updates on McKesson Amplify. The 2025 Health Mart Pharmacy of the Year award was also presented to Dave's Pharmacy.

The McKesson IdeaShare 2025 conference, held in Nashville, Tennessee, brought together over 2,500 independent pharmacies, offering a comprehensive platform for continuing education, peer-to-peer connections, and exhibitor visits. The event showcased new solutions and services, including Pinpoint Community Solutions and Health Mart Perks, and highlighted advocacy updates through McKesson Amplify. Notably, Dave's Pharmacy was honored as the 2025 Health Mart Pharmacy of the Year [1].

The conference also featured a significant discussion on public policy and advocacy, with a fireside chat moderated by Matt Williams, vice president for U.S. government affairs at McKesson. U.S. Reps. Earl "Buddy" Carter (R., Ga.) and Diana Harshbarger (R., Tenn.) shared their insights on the Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) Reform Act, a bipartisan effort to address the harmful and anticompetitive practices of PBMs [2].

The PBM Reform Act aims to protect patients and pharmacies by banning "spread pricing" in Medicaid and promoting transparency in prescription drug plans. It seeks to establish new requirements for PBMs under Medicare Part D, including a policy to delink PBM compensation from the cost of medications and increase transparency. The bill also requires Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to define and enforce "reasonable and relevant" contract terms in Medicare Part D pharmacy contracts [2].

Representative Carter, who started his career as a delivery driver in a drug store, emphasized the importance of the bill's bipartisan support. He stated, "I never went to the counter and asked someone if they were Democrat or Republican. The price of the drug is high. So, we’ve got this PBM reform, it’s going to do away with spread pricing and Medicaid. It’s going to have more transparency so that plan sponsors and employees can see the discounts that the PBMs are getting" [2].

Representative Harshbarger, who has been a pharmacist for 38 years, echoed the need for reform. She highlighted the disconnect between the original mission of PBMs and their current practices, stating, "Those patients don’t get that rebate. Pharmacies certainly don’t get it. We got providers saying, ‘Help us.’ It’s the middleman, it’s the PBMs. And that’s why we work so diligently to make sure that we get this resolved" [2].

The conference also saw the announcement of new retail deals for Synergy CHC Corp. The company secured distribution agreements with McKesson Canada and other retailers, expanding its FOCUSfactor supplement and functional beverage lines across Canada [2].

References:
[1] https://chaindrugreview.com/congressional-leaders-carter-and-harshbarger-explain-pbm-reform-act-at-ideashare-2025/
[2] https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/SYNERGY-CHC-CORP-120795410/news/Synergy-CHC-Corp-Secures-Retail-Deals-with-McKesson-Canada-and-Others-as-FOCUSfactor-Expansion-Surg-50504309/