Annual Meeting Recap: Cooperative Updates, Functional Medicine Insights, and Expert Rx Perspectives

The 2026 National CooperativeRx Annual Meeting brought together nearly 200 members and partners for an engaging and insightful event. The agenda included a Cooperative membership report, a keynote on functional medicine, and an expert panel discussion on Rx complexities. Throughout the day, conversations focused on timely issues shaping pharmacy benefits, and attendees left with practical takeaways to bring back to their clients and employees.

New National CooperativeRx Board Member

National CooperativeRx’s Board Chair, Mark O’Connell, President and CEO of the Wisconsin Counties Association, kicked off the meeting with the Board of Directors election results. Mark announced that Uma Sivasubramani, Vice President of Total Rewards, AMN Healthcare, was elected by membership to a three-year term on the Member Board of Directors.

The Board of Directors also reelected the executive committee to another term, recognizing the team’s continued leadership and commitment to the Cooperative:

• Board Chair, Mark O’Connell, President and CEO, Wisconsin Counties Association
• Vice Chair, Heather Hormel, Senior Director of Human Resources, United Regional Health Care System
• Secretary & Treasurer, Pat Shier, Alaska Membership Representative, Pacific Health Coalition

Kim Bauer, Vice President of Human Resources at Altra Federal Credit Union, has concluded her second term on the Board of Directors. During her six years of service, Kim brought a thoughtful perspective to Board discussions and played an active role in guiding the Cooperative’s strategic direction. We extend our sincere gratitude for her dedication and service to our members.

National CooperativeRx Membership Report

National CooperativeRx’s CEO, Josh Bindl, delivered an informative membership report, highlighting another record-breaking year of growth, Cooperative developments in 2025 and 2026, and the ongoing changes in the pharmacy benefit industry.

Key Takeaways:

• The Cooperative achieved record growth during its 2025 sales year, adding more than 130,000 new participants.
• National CooperativeRx’s Home-Based Light Therapy Program for Psoriasis launched in Q4 2025, with early estimates showing over $3 million in cost avoidance, to date.
• The 2026 market check was completed with updates to pricing, enhancements to customer service, improvements to audit and reconciliation timeliness, and updates to account for federal law changes. The 2027 market check is underway.
• Substantial audit recoveries were seen for 2023 and 2024; the 2025 audit has begun. These recoveries and Q4 rebates were distributed in the first week of May.
• Thorough negotiations are wrapping up with a second PBM vendor. The results of this effort and options available will be announced when completed.
• From shifting rebate dynamics and pricing models to proposed and enacted legislation, there are many developments to follow. These changes bring both benefits and drawbacks that require careful understanding and assessment. Plan sponsors should stay engaged in the changing marketplace, evaluate their potential pros and cons, and consider how they may impact their benefit plans and participants.

National CooperativeRx is actively tracking developments across the industry and providing members and partners with timely updates and insights to help them stay informed. If you are not already subscribed to our monthly newsletter, The Script, we encourage you to do so here.

Keynote Presentation: Functional Medicine in the Workplace: Practical Applications for Employer Health Strategy

Dr. Tamara Lyday, Founder, The Lyday Center, delivered an engaging presentation that outlined a root-cause approach to treating common patient conditions. She explained how functional medicine aims to reduce chronic disease by addressing the underlying drivers, such as inflammation, metabolism, and stress. She outlined several strategies employers can use to move from treating illness after it occurs to building a healthier, more resilient workforce. This included step-by-step implementation guides to educate plan participants on sleep regulation, gut health, and metabolic screenings.

Panel Discussion: Straight Talk on Rx Complexities

National CooperativeRx welcomed a panel of external experts to discuss current issues in the pharmacy benefit industry:

• Connie Perry, PharmD, Chief Pharmacy Officer, Partner, Ethica Pharmacy Advisors
• Paul McNeill, Director of Client Management, The Prism Health Group
• Jason Wenzke, CEO, Ringmaster Rx

From alternative funding models and direct-to-consumer programs to rebates and fiduciary duty obligations, the panelists tackled timely and consequential topics with depth and clarity. While many topics were presented and discussed, it was interesting how frequently the panelists agreed on where the industry is headed and solution for plan sponsors. The opportunity for our members and partners to hear candid, external perspectives on what these industry shifts may mean for plan sponsors and participants was invaluable and we are grateful for the panelists’ generosity in sharing their expertise.

Networking Reception

The day concluded with a networking reception, where attendees had the chance to continue conversations sparked by the day’s presentations.

As we reflect on the discussions and insights from the meeting, we are grateful for the continued engagement of our members and partners. Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to making the meeting a success. We look forward to what we will accomplish together in the year ahead.

Save the Date!

Our 2027 Annual Meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 5, in Madison, WI. We look forward to seeing you there!