Decisions
Pharmacies 'best way to go,' Buchholz says
By ROWENA PLETT
Staff writer
When asked about Marion Pharmacy's involvement in the new Medicare prescription drug plan, Marlin Buchholz said,
"We are doing more than any other pharmacy in the whole world."
He was joking, of course, but the past three months have been extremely busy as he and his co-worker Traci Lanning assist senior citizens in choosing a prescription drug plan that is right for them.
"The local pharmacist is the best way to go," he said. "We don't get kick-backs and we make it simple."
As a HealthMart franchisee, Marion Pharmacy has contracted with all but two of the more than 40 health insurance companies operating in Kansas to provide prescription drugs.
Using an Internet Medicare website, Buchholz and Lanning sit down with applicants, take their names, and list the drugs they currently are using.
The computer program automatically ranks the companies based on the total yearly cost for the individual.
Buchholz said he usually presents the top three. After they've made a choice, they can sign up right on the spot.
"It works pretty slick," he said.
Sometimes, a dozen or more people sign up in one day.
According to Buchholz, Monday through Wednesday are the best days to enroll at the pharmacy.
"Everyone is going to save money by enrolling if the drugs they use stay the same," he said.
He said some glitches in the process have yet to be worked out, and many pharmacists are wondering what problems lie ahead.
One situation he is experiencing right now is that pharmacies are required to pay for drugs they purchase within seven to 10 days, but insurance companies often reimburse them about once a month. That puts the business in a financial squeeze.
He said the government is aware of the disparity and is working to address it.
May is the deadline to sign up for a prescription drug plan. Buchholz said those who signed up in January have the best advantage in utilizing the program this year because they can meet their deductibles sooner.
Eric Driggers, pharmacist at Greenhaw Pharmacy in Hillsboro, said the business has advised at least 600 people on prescription drug plans.
He said they run an analysis of the individual's drug needs and recommend the three best plans for them.
The pharmacy then finds people who help them sign up.
Driggers said sometimes the process takes one or two days because it has to be fit in while doing regular business.
"We are starting to see the positive impact of the program, and people are starting to save money," he said. "It probably will take a while, but it will be good in the long run."
