Pharmacy Closes Over Lower Medicaid Reimbursements
A South Texas pharmacy featured in a Texas Tribune article on independent pharmacists struggling to adapt to lower Medicaid reimbursement rates will shut its doors on Friday.
John P. Calvillo, president of the Rio Grande Valley Independent Pharmacy Association, announced Monday he would close Med-Aid Pharmacy in Mission, which he has owned and operated for seven years, as a result of the lower reimbursement rates produced by the state’s expansion of Medicaid managed care.
“Our business was growing at a steady rate and our services were expanding daily,” he said in an email. He added that the hit to ...
Comments (9)
Michelle Michon via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Thank the Texas Lesis for that! Vote BLUE!
Sharon Richard via Texas Tribune on Facebook
TERRIBLE. We sold our independent pharmacy 10 years ago after 25 years in business. Independents cannot survive when benefit managers call the shots. The reimbursement rates from insurance companies and from the state are unconscionable. Only the big guys will survive.
Rob Turk via Texas Tribune on Facebook
This is what y'all voted for. Reap the whirlwind
Chris Jonsson
Obamacare is not to blame for low reimbursement rates. The pharmaceutical industry has been price gouging the public for decades and they have escalated price hikes to absurd levels recently. Our government under George W. Bush allowed the drug companies to forgo a bargaining process and charge whatever they can get away with. Therefore, government reimbursement rates cannot keep up with the greed of drug companies. Pharmacies get a very small markup. Independents get smaller markups. Independents have to differentiate themselves from chains to make it, however, unless drug company pricing is regulated, Obamacare is the only way we can push back on their absurd priceing. If the pharmaceutical industry spent less on advertising they could pass the savings on to us. Who wants to see them anyway? How about it? Push back.
Jose B. Gonzalez via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Just like we are fine without the mom & pop hardware stores & grocery stores - we will be fine without the independent (mom & pop) pharmacy...
Mike Openshaw via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Yes, this is what the COUNTRY voted for. Those lower reimbursement rates were pretty well REQUIRED by Obamacare. Trying to blame the State legislature for what the feds forced? Good try.
Kathleen Painter via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Obamacare is not to blame. The pharmaceutical industry has been price gouging the public for decades. George W. Bush allowed the drug companies to forgo a bargaining process and charge whatever they wanted. Therefore, government reimbursement rates cannot keep up with the greed of drug companies. Obamacare is the only way we can push back against this absurdity. My suggestion: Ask the Pharmaceutical companies to spend less on advertising and pass the savings on to us.
Kathleen Painter
I completely agree with Chris Jonsson. I'm so tired of the pharmaceutical industry pointing at Obamacare when it hasn't even fully taken effect yet. It's just shaking the bushes and Texans are quick to assume before studying. Shame on the Tribune for not studying this further and fully reporting the story as well.
Mike Openshaw via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Kathleen, this pharmacy had been doing fine...until the last year or so. What changed? Oh, that's right! Obamacare was passed!
Please! The left will be blaming insurance companies for the nightmares we will face at the end of this year; the doctors, the pharmacies, the hospitals, ANYTHING but the real source when things REALLY go south in the next 12 months.