Pharmacists Say Drug Plan Threatens Their Income

[papau]

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/13/politics/13medicare.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Pharmacists Say Drug Plan Threatens Their Income
By ROBERT PEAR
WASHINGTON, March 12 — Pharmacists say they have been losing money under Medicare's new prescription drug benefit, and they have taken their concerns to the White House, forcing the administration to confront political problems caused by the rocky start of the program.<snip>

Richard E. Beck, one of the Texas pharmacists who met with Mr. Rove, said, "Pharmacies are losing money on Medicare." Slow payment by Medicare drug plans has caused cash-flow problems for many pharmacies, he said.<snip>

The new benefit is delivered by private health plans subsidized by Medicare. The drug plans have contracts with pharmacies. Medicare officials said they would help pharmacists enforce the terms of these contracts. But pharmacists said this was not enough because insurers typically offered the contracts on a "take it or leave it" basis.<snip>

Even as pharmacists take on new duties under Medicare, they are discovering that they will be paid less than they now receive under Medicaid, the program sponsored by federal and state governments for low-income people.<snip>

Pharmacists said that Medicare drug plans were paying them less than Medicaid and commercial insurers paid for the same services.

In an interview, Mr. Beck said: "Reimbursement by Medicare drug plans is very low and slow. Pharmacists are being asked to bankroll the program. Many have to dig into personal savings and take out loans to stay in business."

Medicaid and commercial insurers pay pharmacies 7 to 15 days after a prescription is filled, but Medicare drug plans often take 30 days or more, Mr. Beck said.<snip>

[MadMaddie]

1. Awww.....another industry impacted by the poor decisions...

of the * cabal....

And meeting with Rove....

[AndyA]

2. Just another symbol of affection from the Bush Administration

Pharmacies are hurting, but the drug companies are raking it in.

Consumers are hurting, but the drug companies are raking it in.

Consumers are hurting, but the banks and credit card companies are making a killing.

Consumers are hurting, but the oil companies are making an obscene fortune.

American car companies are hurting, but the foreign ones are doing great.

American manufacturing is hurting, but overseas manufacturers are just fine.

See a pattern here?

And Bush works for WHO? And in what COUNTRY would that be? He surely can't be working for the interests of the American people in the United States of America!

[RedOnce]

5. Well said!

[TallahasseeGrannie]

3. The government needs to pay its bills on time like everybody

else has to.

[Jane Austin]

4. That phrasing is SO misleading, and sure gives bushco a break.

"Slow payment by Medicare drug plans has caused cash-flow problems for many pharmacies, he said.<snip>"

I believe the "Texas pharmacist" means "Slow payment by Insurance Companies contracted by the plan has caused cash-flow problems for many pharmacies."

[papau]

6. I believe you are correct! But Health Ins companies are not to have

negative PR1

:-)

[Indykatie]

7. Be Suspicious of Claims

that these pharmacies are being paid less than their commercial contracts. They may very well be getting less than they were under some State Medicaid plans due to higher rates and bigger dispensing fees allowed for Medicaid. I have always felt though that pharmacists should not expect to paid any more under Medicaid than they would by any of the big commercial players. Independents have a tougher time because they do have to accept the same contractual terms that the large players get (CVS, Walgreens, Walmart etc) and they have no leverage to get a better deal from the PBMs. With all the big players in the market the PBMs won't worry about whether an independent opts out of their networks.

[Warpy]

8. I've seen pharmies at the local Walmart give

partial prescriptions to old folks gratis until the paperwork is cleared up.

Pharmacies are taking a big hit on this idiotic drug plan. I think many are trying to keep the old folks alive while the Byzantine paperwork is negotiated and SSA loses their paperwork at least twice.

This is nuts.

Add to this the slow payment from Medicare, and some of the smaller indie pharmacies are likely to go under.

This is nuts, too.

[oscar111]

9. NATIONALIZE all drugstores; Virginia nationalized liquor stores

so the idea is not unamerican at all.

Who needs rich pharmacists? I do not.

[MockSwede]

10. Rich Pharmacists

Let me know when you find all those rich pharmacists. While you're at it, PLEASE nationalize all the hospitals and clinics and nursing homes and mental health asylums and physician offices and healthcare insurance companies. Nationalization. Hmmm... Na Zi. National Socialists. Hitler. Fascism? WWII. Remember?