It's Time to Fix Michigan's Medicaid Pharmacy Program, Not Defend Wasteful Spending

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) President and CEO Mark Merritt issued the following statement in response to the Michigan Pharmacy Association defending higher pharmacy fees in Michigan's Medicaid program:

"By defending wasteful spending in a Medicaid program that's clearly in trouble, the Michigan Pharmacy Association rearranges deck chairs on the Titanic without offering ways to keep Medicaid afloat.

"It's no secret that Michigan's Medicaid program wastes millions every year by paying drugstores more than Medicare and the commercial market.

"Instead of defending a broken system, it's time for Michigan to explore new ways to make its Medicaid pharmacy program more affordable and effective."

Michigan's Medicaid program could save $146 million over the next decade by managing pharmacy benefits more like state employee plans, Medicare, Medicaid managed care plans, and commercial-sector employer plans. Voters would also prefer to reduce Medicaid spending by better managing pharmacy benefits rather than cutting benefits for patients or payments to doctors and hospitals, according to a new poll.

PCMA represents the nation's pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), which improve affordability and

quality of care through the use of electronic prescribing (e-prescribing), generic alternatives, mail-service pharmacies, and other innovative tools for 210-plus million Americans.

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SOURCE Pharmaceutical Care Management Association

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