COVINGTON COUNTY, Ala. (WTVY) Alabama legislature recently passed a bill that could help locally owned pharmacies is receiving pushback from the local public. Several locally owned pharmacies struggle to make money on prescriptions. This happens with many of the medications costing more to acquire and sell than the money they receive for the same.
Talking about it Rebecca Simmons said, “Over 10% of our prescriptions, we had a significant loss where insurance did not even reimburse us the full cost of the medication we dispensed to the patient.”
Prescriptions like HB238 are more commonly known as the FAIR Meds Act. This is actually supposed to ensure chain pharmacies and independently owned pharmacies. Who then receive equal compensation, plus receive dispensing fees to cover additional costs.
If this law gets passed, this bill would greatly help out local economies, our hospitals, our doctors, everybody around here. It will also our patients and customers will remain local. Several people have resentment to the bill, due to a $10.64 dispensing fee, in fear their prescriptions prices could rise.
Simmons said some of the insurance companies already pay the dispensing fee, so it may not effect everyone the same. “That doesn’t mean the cost has to come from the patient,” said Simmons. “It’s not like we’re going to charge you a copay plus a dispensing fee. It should not affect your copay in any way.” The earliest HB238 could reach the House floor would be March 19, with legislation currently on spring break.