WASHINGTON, July 22, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Legislation backed by the drugstore lobby (H.R. 4577, "Ensuring Seniors Access to Local Pharmacies Act of 2014") championing so-called "any willing pharmacy" mandates in Medicare Part D would undermine the availability of lower cost preferred pharmacy networks and increase Medicare spending by $21 billion over the next 10 years, according to new research from The Moran Company released by the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA).
The drugstore lobby targets "medically underserved" areas that have nothing to do with pharmacy access and are defined so broadly that they encompass 95% of all Medicare beneficiaries. By mandating that "any willing pharmacy" be included in preferred networks in these areas, the bill would gut the ability of plans to negotiate lower cost preferred pharmacy options for virtually all Medicare beneficiaries.
As the study notes, "there is not necessarily a relationship between the underserved areas targeted in the legislation and pharmacy access. The targeted underserved areas are identified by primary medical care, dental or mental health providers, without regard to pharmacy access." Likewise, the study finds that preferred pharmacies would "discontinue discounting since such discounts would no longer be a requirement for preferred network participation."
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