Thursday, March 18, 2010

Walgreen's pharmacies won't be accepting new Medicaid patients after April 16th

From The Seattle Times:

Effective April 16, Walgreens drugstores across the state won't take any new Medicaid patients, saying that filling their prescriptions is a money-losing proposition — the latest development in an ongoing dispute over Medicaid reimbursement.

The company, which operates 121 stores in the state, will continue filling Medicaid prescriptions for current patients.
In a news release, Walgreens said its decision to not take new Medicaid patients stemmed from a "continued reduction in reimbursement" under the state's Medicaid program, which reimburses it at less than the break-even point for 95 percent of brand-name medications dispensed to Medicaid patents.
Walgreens follows Bartell Drugs, which stopped taking new Medicaid patients last month at all 57 of its stores in Washington, though it still fills Medicaid prescriptions for existing customers at all but 15 of those stores.

Please don't allow this to change your opinion about the need for more government involvement in our healthcare system.  Move along folks, nothing to see here.  Move along, move along.  No government inefficiency here.  Keep moving, please.  Thank you.  

1 comment:

Bob Z Moose said...

Wait... If the Democrats want to give Medicaid to everyone and private pharmacies can't make money filling prescriptions with government insurance, doesn't that lead to one of two things:

1. Medicaid will have to increase compensation for prescription, which would increase the price of Medicaid/a future "public option".

2. Government nationalizing pharmacies or opening government run pharmacies that will run a loss, just like the post office.