Pharmacists Urge Passing of Fee-for-Service Amid National Pharmacists’ Day

The largest pharmacy association in the state, the Pharmacists Society of the State of New York (PSSNY), united its members this week in recognition of National Pharmacists’ Day on Jan. 12. This year’s observation took on added significance as representatives of the profession urge Governor Kathy Hochul and state legislators to finally end New York’s delay in implementing transition of the Medicaid pharmacy benefit to fee-for-service.

Fee-for-service, which was passed by the state legislature in 2020 but was subsequently delayed for two years, is scheduled for implementation on April 1, 2023. This move ensures transparency in New York Medicaid’s pharmacy benefit and guarantees patient access to pharmacies of their choice. The Medicaid pharmacy program should not cover corporate administration or non-pharmacy programs but rather equitable drug pricing.

In the two years that fee-for-service has been awaiting implementation, state Medicaid costs have skyrocketed, with spending growing at double-digit rates annually – marking the fastest growth rates since the aftermath of the Great Recession, per the state’s Enacted Budget Financial Plan published in May of 2022.

“Fee-for-service is crucial not only to our pharmacists’ practice and livelihood, but also for patient choice and access,” said Deanna Ennello-Butler, executive director of PSSNY. “Especially for low-income and rural populations, this measure is an opportunity for state government to prove it values providers, patients’ rights and the taxpayer dollar.”

With the state legislative session recently kicking off on Jan. 4 and the media attention surrounding the State of the State, PSSNY’s network of pharmacy professionals have been raising awareness of the issue and rallying their patients around this crucial initiative.

“It’s time that New York state government restores the true safety net for all patients: fee-for-service will protect patient access to vital medications and expand options for where all patients can fill prescriptions,” added Heather Ferrarese, PSSNY board president and practicing pharmacist at Bartle’s Health Mart in Oxford, N.Y. “Especially as various opposition groups attempt to stall the implementation, legislators must recognize that corporate interests have cut numerous holes into their so-called safety net – and are draining wasted state money away from prescriptions for the patients who need it most.”

To learn more about PSSNY, visit www.PSSNY.org.

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