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Prescription Mail Orders And Patient Equity

An Interview with Catherine Strode

sen_beth_martinez_humenik
State Senator Beth Martinez Huminek uses two words to describe the health care bill she is sponsoring: ‘patient equity’.  Senate Bill 16-027, which allows Medicaid clients to obtain prescribed drugs through the mail, has passed out of the Senate overwhelmingly with bipartisan support. In an interview with Catherine Strode, Senator Martinez cites the bill’s many benefits to both patient clients and to the state.

Prescription Mail Orders And Patient Equity

sen_beth_martinez_humenikState Senator Beth Martinez Huminek uses two words to describe the health care bill she is sponsoring: ‘patient equity’. Senate Bill 16-027, which allows Medicaid clients to obtain prescribed drugs through the mail, has passed out of the Senate overwhelmingly with bipartisan support. In an interview with Catherine Strode, Senator Martinez cites the bill’s many benefits to both patient clients and to the state.

What is the importance of this bill?
“To me, it was an equity issue. Some Medicaid patients can already get prescriptions through the mail but it’s limited. They had to prove they had a physical hardship. This is really going to help families out or individuals who otherwise would have had to provide proof that they had some kind of hardship. If everybody else with private insurance can get mail order, why shouldn’t Medicaid patients be able to? This gives everyone the same opportunity people who have private insurers have. You can get your prescriptions through the mail and you can get up to three months (of prescriptions) at a time. For families who might be on a really tight budget and can’t afford the bus fare to get to their local pharmacy, or they’re on medication because of a chronic condition, they won’t run out of it and have to figure out how they are going to get their meds. Everybody having equal opportunity to get medications through the mail was a big part of this. If you’re in a wheelchair and have limited access to transportation, this is something that is really going to be a benefit to you. You can just order it and have it sent to your housing location, wherever you live.”

Who brought the need for the bill to your attention?
“The bill actually came from Health Care Policy and Financing. They had clients having issues getting their prescription drugs; and they couldn’t get their drugs through the mail. Sometimes it was very difficult (for clients) to find transportation to even get the prescription, once it was filled from a pharmacy locally. This bill gives folks the opportunity to still continue to use their local pharmacy and just have their prescription mailed to them. This is particularly important for those patients that live in rural communities that may have to drive 40 or 50 miles to get their prescriptions filled.”

How does the bill benefit the state?
“This is going to keep people on their medications so health care costs should be kept down. This also helps reduce the dispensing fees Medicaid has to pay. We’re looking at moving three percent of the 30-day prescription fills to a 90-day fill. That should save about $29,000 to $30,000 the first year and, over a million dollars in the years 2017 to 2018. It will help keep costs down which is beneficial for Medicaid patients. Research shows people who receive their chronic health medications through the mail have a better drug adherence. They’re taking their medicines like they should be and that’s going to keep them from experiencing other health care issues. Opioids and antibiotics they still would have to get from their local pharmacy. There are reasons for that and I think everybody else has to do that same thing as well.”

How will the bill affect patient choice?
“This bill is going to increase client flexibility. They still have the option to go to the pharmacy of their choice, as long as the pharmacy is enrolled with the Medicaid program. A lot of local and independent pharmacies already offer mail delivery programs for private insurance clients. However, that hasn’t been the case with Medicaid. As long as they are part of the Medicaid program, they’ll allow Medicaid clients to use their local pharmacy’s mail programs without having to prove a physical hardship.”

Was there concern from the independent pharmacies that the bill would take business away?
“Originally, that’s what they thought and their concerns were addressed. We worked with them on language. Medicaid is going to encourage patients to go through their local retail pharmacies for their mail delivery medications. They need to let their clients know this is an option they can participate in. The pharmacies were actually excited about this because some of them already offer this but those that are in the Medicaid program can now certainly do that. I’m guessing this is going to increase the local pharmacies’ mail business. I do think that people will stay with their local pharmacy, simply because they built a relationship over the years with that pharmacist and the staff.”

Catherine StrodeCatherine Strode is Advocacy Denver’s Communications and Policy Specialist.  She holds a Masters degree in Public Administration with an emphasis in Health Care Policy. Catherine publishes Policy Perspective, featuring interviews with state policy makers on issues that affect the work and mission of Advocacy Denver.