This is from a press release I received from NCPA today
This year there will be more plans with preferred pharmacy networks. NCPA has argued vigorously that any willing provider should be allowed to participate on equal terms—especially in a taxpayer-funded program. CMS disagrees and Congress has focused on other issues affecting Medicare and pharmacy small business owners
We now have FCC/Justice giving their blessing to the Medco/ESI merger… and CMS disagrees that restricted Part D Pharmacy networks are not harmful to patients, pharmacy, and other entities.
Between all the governments entities and the insurance/PBM industry lobbying .. have they created a “cluster bomb” on pharmacy. With all the apathy of the “garden variety Pharmacist”.. they are accelerating the number of “issues” that the profession is having to deal with…. much like a cluster bomb… there are so many pieces of shrapnel .. that one or more of them are going to take you out…
Filed under: General Problems
Steve, I did two posts on this topic a while back when my mom had problems with a restrictive network. These networks are definitely problematic for some beneficiaries, especially those in remote areas who have limited pharmacy access to begin with.
http://themeddiva.com/category/restricted-network
I love those bombs, Steve! That is just how I feel today!