I think you guys are missing the point talking about insurances, coupons, and prior authorizations. I'm begging for a place I can openly see the price online, that I can show the patient in a matter of seconds that would be a legit place and safe.Right now when I send a script it is a nightmare lottery if they will cover any of it, or if I will get 4 phone calls about price/prior authorizations.
Reality is, drugs are expensive. We can debate whether or not they should be, but they are. They are expensive for the pharmacy buying the drugs, and they are expensive for the patient purchasing those drugs. Nobody knows what the real cost of drugs are, because the price a pharmacy pays to buy drugs differs. Bigger pharmacies, get to buy the drugs cheaper than smaller pharmacies. Non-profit hospitals get to buy the drugs cheaper than retail pharmacies. But all pharmacies are paying a lot for their drugs. This is one of the many reasons why drug costs vary from pharmacy to pharmacy, because pharmacies are paying different acquisition costs for the drug.
As others have said, drugs will always be cheaper with insurance. You mention your patient complaining because the drug costs $300 after a manufacturer's discount card.....well, this is pretty much as cheap as a cash paying patient is going to get. There are no pharmacies offering a cheaper price, because the drug is really that expensive.
The most reasonable solution to your problem has already been mentioned. You need to “contract” with a pharmacy, go to the PIC and say, Ill send all my patients to you if you can print me a list of XYZ drugs and provide them for the cash prices of ABC. He can tack on whatever extra is necessary to adjust for minor fluctuations. If one of the prices skyrockets overnight then obviously the prices can be subject to change. At least it gives you a place to start.
This sounds quasi-legal. At least in my state, doctors can not preferentially steer patients to a certain pharmacy (of course, there is a gray area where a doctor can state factual information about a pharmacy, but a doctor can't make a deal with a pharmacy and then promote that pharmacy.) Of course, every state is different, so OP, if you go this route, just be aware of your state laws.
Is there a software for Pharmacists where they put in anti-inflammatory drops as a category and enter in the insurance and it just lists all of the costs of every anti-inflammatory drop instead of me saying now try this drop, now try this drop, okay no try this drop. Seems very inefficient.
No, there is no such software. I agree, it would be very nice, but it isn't going to happen. Reality is, drug manufacturers hide the true cost of drugs, and the discounts they give on those drugs to certain pharmacies. Likewise, insurances often obscure the true cost of co-pays to patients (or maybe the patients don't listen....but I suspect Med D plans tell patients, "YES! Your Drug A is covered by our plan!", when in reality Drug A is only covered after a Prior Auth is approved, and then it's covered at the highest tiered co-pay.
