Medi-cal & rate cuts

[cbrons]

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http://drugtopics.modernmedicine.co...ntextCategoryId=6989&searchString=Court sides

My question is - assuming the other 2 suits fail as well, what are pharmacies going to start doing? Turn away medicaid/medicare patients as they can't afford to fill their prescriptions? That's outragious that the court said "Well you won't lose money filling ALL brand drugs..." Ridiculous...

 

[MountainPharmD]

http://drugtopics.modernmedicine.co...ntextCategoryId=6989&searchString=Court sides

My question is - assuming the other 2 suits fail as well, what are pharmacies going to start doing? Turn away medicaid/medicare patients as they can't afford to fill their prescriptions? That's outragious that the court said "Well you won't lose money filling ALL brand drugs..." Ridiculous...

That is the question! Doctors just got thier butts saved by congress. They callled a special session to reverse the 10% cut in reimbursement they were supposed to see in July. I do think retail pharmacy is going to get quite the same attention.

If I owned an independant pharmacy I would be trying like crazy to sell and get out. If I decided for some insane reason to stay in business I do not see how I could operate and accept medicaid and medicare.

I think very soon one of two things will happen. I think a major retail chain is going to stop accepting medicaid and medicare prescriptions. Or a major chain will just fold up the tent and get out of the pharmacy business. Most likely a grocerey store chain like Save-on or Safeway. Independants are going out of business like crazy. Its only a matter of time before one of the big boys is hit. How long do you think we can continue to dispense medications at a loss?

 

[Aznfarmerboi]

That is the question! Doctors just got thier butts saved by congress. They callled a special session to reverse the 10% cut in reimbursement they were supposed to see in July. I do think retail pharmacy is going to get quite the same attention.

If I owned an independant pharmacy I would be trying like crazy to sell and get out. If I decided for some insane reason to stay in business I do not see how I could operate and accept medicaid and medicare.

I think very soon one of two things will happen. I think a major retail chain is going to stop accepting medicaid and medicare prescriptions. Or a major chain will just fold up the tent and get out of the pharmacy business. Most likely a grocerey store chain like Save-on or Safeway. Independants are going out of business like crazy. Its only a matter of time before one of the big boys is hit. How long do you think we can continue to dispense medications at a loss?

Not long. Too bad theres walmart, target, pathmark, etc who uses Rx as loss leaders. On the other hand, with all the independent pharmacies exiting, it can be fair to say now is the best time to own one ----> buy the business cheap; and pray until the good times come back.

 

[cbrons]

It is my understanding the Bush vetoed that emergency measure that Congress passed because he didn't agree with the way it would be funded.

 

[MountainPharmD]

It is my understanding the Bush vetoed that emergency measure that Congress passed because he didn't agree with the way it would be funded.

I believe the House over rode the veto today and the Senate is expect to tomorrow.

 

[Saladfingers]

I believe the House over rode the veto today and the Senate is expect to tomorrow.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jucINN3POiwPC9YNtNKHQ2lSofkAD91V6SGO0

 

[aboveliquidice]

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jucINN3POiwPC9YNtNKHQ2lSofkAD91V6SGO0

The OPs original post and this one are not related in anyway.

The OP was talking about 10% reimbursement cut in California Medi-Cal...

This recent post is talking about (for us anyway) the length of time until reimbursement.

I understand the negative implications of the California ruling - but what was negative for pharmacists in the Veto-override legislation? I am not familiar enough to speculate - but it looks like a good thing.

~above~

 

[MountainPharmD]

The OPs original post and this one are not related in anyway.

The OP was talking about 10% reimbursement cut in California Medi-Cal...

This recent post is talking about (for us anyway) the length of time until reimbursement.

I understand the negative implications of the California ruling - but what was negative for pharmacists in the Veto-override legislation? I am not familiar enough to speculate - but it looks like a good thing.

~above~

Nothing at all negative for pharmacies. I brought it up only as a comparison. Pharmacy reimbursement has been slashed over and over again to where it is nearly unprofitable to fill medicare or medicaid scripts. As soon as the same thing happens to Doctors there is a bill proposed and passed to negate the cuts.

The OP wants to know what are pharmices going to do? My point was to say we certainly can't count on Congrees passing legislation to help us out.

 

[PharmDstudent]

Nothing at all negative for pharmacies. I brought it up only as a comparison. Pharmacy reimbursement has been slashed over and over again to where it is nearly unprofitable to fill medicare or medicaid scripts. As soon as the same thing happens to Doctors there is a bill proposed and passed to negate the cuts.

The OP wants to know what are pharmices going to do? My point was to say we certainly can't count on Congrees passing legislation to help us out.

We'll just have to sell more B1G1 family-sized bags of M&M's with all of our metformin and insulin scripts. 🙄 Or whatever the latest junk food trend is...

 

[Saladfingers]

We'll just have to sell more B1G1 family-sized bags of M&M's with all of our metformin and insulin scripts. 🙄 Or whatever the latest junk food trend is...

.... deep fried twinkies. 😱

 

[Farmercyst]

Yeah the pharmacies at USC may drop medicaid if the 10% cut goes through. that'd drop most of the people discharged from LAC-USC county hospital. I'm not sure how it would affect the clinic that's run by the school of pharmacy either.