USC Mann School of Pharmacy to Support CE for Certified Pharmacy Benefits Specialist as PBM Oversight Needs Rise
CPBS™ is the first pharmacy benefit designation dedicated solely to advocating for unions, health plans, health systems, commercial and public sector employers.
New relationship strengthens pharmacy benefit education for pharmacists, consultants, HR leaders, CFOs, brokers, and plan sponsors
DETROIT, MI, UNITED STATES, June 23, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The American College of Benefit Specialists (ACoBS) today announced that the USC Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Office of Continuing Professional Development will support continuing education accreditation for the Certified Pharmacy Benefits Specialist (CPBS) program.
The announcement comes as employers face growing pressure to document prudent oversight of pharmacy benefit arrangements, including PBM compensation, rebate treatment, specialty drug management, and contract performance. Pharmacy benefits are now one of the most scrutinized areas of employee benefits, yet many professionals responsible for oversight have never received formal training in how PBM arrangements actually work. The CPBS program was created to close that training gap.
“USC Mann’s continuing education support is an important step in advancing the credibility, academic rigor, and reach of the CPBS program,” said Tyrone Squires, CPBS, Founder of ACoBS and Founder and Managing Director of TransparentRx. “Employers and their advisors are being asked to make high-stakes pharmacy benefit decisions in a market where the incentives are not always aligned with the plan sponsor. CPBS gives them the practical education needed to ask better questions, identify hidden costs, and manage PBM relationships with a fiduciary standard of care.”
Through the relationship, ACoBS will continue to provide the PBM curriculum, instructional design, platform delivery, and student support for the CPBS program. USC Mann School of Pharmacy will support the continuing education accreditation process, quality oversight, and academic review needed to align the program with applicable continuing education standards.
“We’re very excited about the opportunity to partner with you and your team on managing accreditation for your program,” said Lisa McDonald, MPH, Associate Director, USC Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Office of Continuing Professional Development.
CPBS curriculum covers the core areas professionals need to evaluate and manage pharmacy benefit programs, including PBM pricing, rebate structures, contract terms, formulary management, specialty pharmacy, benefit design, procurement, auditing, and cost containment. The program is offered through several delivery formats, including virtual live classroom, self-paced online learning, in-person workshops, and on-demand recorded instruction.
Continuing education currently includes 16.0 contact hours for the virtual, self-paced, and on-demand formats, and 20.0 contact hours for the in-person workshop format. “This relationship is about more than accreditation,” Squires said. “It is about bringing disciplined education to a part of the benefits market that has been allowed to remain too complicated for too long. When employers do not understand PBM economics, they cannot fully protect their plan assets or their members.”
Since launch, the CPBS program has trained more than 1,000 professionals, including pharmacists, benefit consultants, brokers, HR leaders, CFOs, analysts, account managers, and other professionals involved in pharmacy benefit decision-making.
For plan sponsors, the announcement signals a stronger education pathway for the people advising and managing pharmacy benefits. Consultants and brokers gain a more credible framework for demonstrating PBM expertise, while pharmacists and pharmacy technicians now have a structured way to expand into pharmacy benefit strategy, employer consulting, and managed care education.
About the American College of Benefit Specialists
The American College of Benefit Specialists (ACoBS) provides professional education and certification programs for individuals who advise, manage, or oversee employee benefit programs. Its Certified Pharmacy Benefits Specialist (CPBS) program helps professionals understand pharmacy benefit management, reduce avoidable costs, and improve oversight of PBM arrangements.
About the Certified Pharmacy Benefits Specialist Program
The Certified Pharmacy Benefits Specialist (CPBS) program is a professional certification focused on pharmacy benefit management, PBM pricing, rebate arrangements, contract review, formulary strategy, specialty pharmacy, procurement, auditing, and fiduciary oversight. The program prepares pharmacists, benefit consultants, HR leaders, CFOs, brokers, analysts, account managers, and other professionals to better manage pharmacy benefit programs.
About USC Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
The USC Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences is part of the University of Southern California and provides pharmacy education, research, clinical training, and continuing professional development for pharmacy and health care professionals.
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