BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Across the country, independent pharmacies say they're struggling.

According to a recent New York Times investigation, nearly 800 zip codes that had at least one pharmacy in 2015 now have none. Bretta Grinsteinner works for Epic Pharmacy Network, an administrative organization that supports these small businesses and advocates on their behalf.

"Often times the pharmacy is the last man standing. That is the health care professional in their area, so when you remove or take away that independent pharmacy or community pharmacy in that area, there might be just a desert of available health care professionals," Grinsteinner said.

She said, in many cases, the wholesale price for more expensive name brand drugs is more than Pharmacy Benefit Managers, who serve as intermediaries for insurance providers, reimburse those pharmacies. Grinsteinner said the choice becomes lose money or fail customers, particularly in rural and low income communities.

"They're put in very uncomfortable situations at times where they aren't able to procure the drug that those members need because they are literally losing hundreds of dollars," she said.

The Pharmaceutical Care Management Association, which represents PBMs across the country, claim they reimburse independent pharmacies at higher rates than chains and said the businesses are negatively impacted by other economic factors unrelated to PBMs. New York state Assembly Health Committee Chair Amy Paulin said PBMs are still a significant factor.

"They're not transparent," she said. "They get rebates from the manufacturer. We don't know what they are. We don't know if they're being transferred to the consumer which is really what we would want."

Paulin said her committee will be examining several bills in the upcoming session including one from Assemblyman and pharmacist John McDonald which would require PBMS to reimburse at minimum a rate established by a national monthly survey of retail pharmacies and impose an additional fee.

"Certainly if there's a way to do anything at the state level. We will be considering it this session," she said.

PCMA opposes government policies requiring higher reimbursement rates which it said will ultimately lead to consumers and employers paying more for prescriptions.