Congressional delegation opens community pharmacy
Discounts on prescription drugs offered statewide
By WENDY HATOUM
The Colchester Sun (December 25, 2008)
The Colchester Sun (December 25, 2008)
U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, Congressman Peter Welch, and John Tracy of U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy's office, gathered at a nondescript commercial building in northern Colchester on Monday, Dec. 15, to announce the latest effort in lowering the cost of health care in Vermont: the opening of a discount Community Health Pharmacy.
The pharmacy, which is supported by the state's congressional delegation, can offer prescription drugs at a price of up to 40 to 60 percent less than at a regular retail pharmacy, depending on a person's insurance coverage.U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, Congressman Peter Welch, and John Tracy of U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy's office, gathered at a nondescript commercial building in northern Colchester on Monday, Dec. 15, to announce the latest effort in lowering the cost of health care in Vermont: the opening of a discount Community Health Pharmacy.
According to press materials, about one in seven Vermonters – more than 80,000 patients – now receive care at a Federally Qualified Health Center regardless of income or insurance coverage.
“These are tough times. It's nice to take a moment to give good news,” said Sanders. “Over the last five to six years we've been really successful in expanding health care. This is a significant step forward. It will save Vermonters money.”
The pharmacy is a cooperative venture, owned by five of Vermont's seven federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), including Community Health Center of Burlington, Community Health Services of the Lamoille Valley, Northern Counties Health Care, Northern Tier Center for Health and the Health Center.
There are no eligibility requirements to qualify for the discounted rates, except that they are only available to patients of the five centers, which have 22 sites in Vermont. Those saving the most are the uninsured, or underinsured, who will pay based on a sliding fee scale. Pharmacy customers who hold health insurance will continue to pay prescription co-payments.
“This is a creative, community-based solution that helps bridge one of the major gaps in health care. The Heinz Foundation has been a catalyst in helping to forge these partnerships, and they deserve great credit and our thanks. These community pharmacies bring buying power to Vermonters unable to afford coverage, lowering the cost of the prescriptions they need,” said Sen. Patrick Leahy in a written statement.
Not only will it save consumers money, but there are anticipated cost savings in the state's Medicaid program as well. According to press materials, the Community Health Pharmacy has 340 B pricing, which is the lowest wholesale prescription drug pricing available in the United States, outside of federal contracts for the Department of Defense and the Veterans Administration. Sanders estimated the state would save at least 13 percent when Medicaid patients use this pharmacy program.
“This community pharmacy is a major step toward assuring Vermonters have access to the affordable prescription drugs they need,” said Welch. “This program saves money – up to 50-60 percent of retail. And it will save Vermont money with Medicaid. The Vermont taxpayer is going to benefit.”
The location for the Community Health Pharmacy, at 158 Brentwood Dr., adjacent to Furniture World of Vermont, was chosen because it was central to the FQHCs, said Mark Contois, operations manager for the pharmacy. “This is as far north as we wanted to go. We wanted to be close to a post office and close to the interstate. And it was a new space, with no deconstruction costs, so it was cost-effective,” explained Contois.
The facility has been open since Nov. 1, has six employees, and it is envisioned that it will eventually fill 55,000 prescriptions each year.
Filling a prescription is most frequently accomplished by mail, and patients are required to fill out a one-page information questionnaire, as they normally would when switching a prescription to a new pharmacy. Most prescriptions are filled the same day and are received throughout Vermont the next day via U.S. mail.
Patients can also have prescriptions filled in person. For more information call 893-1120.
