This statement was released by Patricia Epple, CEO of the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association--
“Community pharmacists thank Auditor General Eugene DePasquale for his action today to open a review of prescription drug reimbursement practices under the state’s Medicaid Program and will participate in his regional hearings.
“He joins state officials in Ohio, Arkansas and other states in looking into the prescription reimbursement practices of Pharmacy Benefit Managers-- like CVS and CVS Caremark-- that may be driving up the costs of state Medicaid Program while serving to eliminate competition.
“We believe his review will turn up the same pattern of under-reimbursement of community pharmacists and over-reimbursement of pharmacies owned by Pharmacy Benefit Managers as other states have.
“Companies who own Pharmacy Benefit Managers-- like CVS and CVS Caremark-- have been reimbursing community pharmacists for prescription drugs at prices often far below the actual cost of a drug to the pharmacist, and in some cases, paying their own pharmacies several times more.
“The goal here is to reduce Medicaid costs for all taxpayers while providing fair reimbursements for community pharmacists.”
To learn more about these issues, visit the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association website.
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