PHRMA has recently agree to cover half of the medication costs while Medicare Part D patients are in the doughnut hole period, the coverage gap where patients pay 100% of the drug costs between $2700 and $6154. So this means that PHRMA will actually reimburse the government for half of the cost of the brand name medications which patients take during the doughnut hole period. So why is PHRMA being so generous? PHRMA is interested in keeping patients on high cost brand name medications and will take only a small loss on this pay out, whereas they would lose the entire amount of the patient if they changed therapy to a cheaper therapeutic alternative which may come in a generic form. PHRMA is looking out for the interests of pharmaceutical companies, which have every right to make
and sell innovative and expensive medication treatments and we should not interfere with that right. However if we are concerned with costs we may have interests that are better met by using alternative therapies.
The doughnut hole is the section where the Medicare Part D plans recoup some of their money spent on covering elderly patients and has patients become responsible for their costs. However, even in cases where patients are taking many medications, the doughnut hole is not necessarily something that patients must reach. If appropriate medication management is performed, patients can reduce their costs for medications as well as cost of medical care for society. Pharmacists are well trained and qualified to recommend changes to medication therapy to patients and doctors in order to reduce medications and lower medication costs through altered therapies. By reimbursing pharmacists for this process and encouraging patients, Medicare Part D or not, we would reduce costs of medical care across the board.
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