Last week, I highlighted the largest pharmacy chains that will participate in next year’s Medicare Part D prescription drug plans (PDP).
Today, I examine how independent pharmacies will participate as preferred cost sharing pharmacies via the pharmacy services administrative organizations (PSAOs) that that represent these pharmacies in negotiations with plans.
For most independent pharmacies and their PSAOs, the profit sacrifices of Medicare Part D preferred networks are apparently no longer worth the incremental volume. As I predicted last year, they are starting to reject preferred networks:
- McKesson’s Health Mart Atlas will be the only PSAO whose members’ level of participation in preferred Part D networks will be comparable to that of the big chains.
- Pharmacy members of AmerisourceBergen’s Elevate network will again skip preferred status in the major Part D networks.
- Members of Cardinal Health’s PSAOs and the independent Arete Pharmacy Network will be preferred in many fewer 2020 networks compared with 2019.
You’ll find details and a handy scorecard below.
With independents fleeing preferred networks, will the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) take a closer look at the market? And are independents really ready to say that they are never ever, ever, ever getting back together with preferred networks?
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