New Dispensing Fees Could Hit Shreveport Pharmacies Hard

Independent pharmacies across Louisiana are sounding the alarm over a fee that could fundamentally change the local healthcare landscape.

Small business owners warn that additional financial burdens might be the breaking point for many community focused locations. Including the multiple independent pharmacies across the Shreveport and Bossier area.

This new shift comes as profit margins for neighborhood pharmacists are already being squeezed by larger competitors, as well as rising operational costs. If these "dispensing fees" remain in place, the accessibility of personalized care in areas like ours could be at serious risk in Louisiana.

Local Impact Hits Shreveport and Bossier City

The Shreveport and Bossier City area is home to several locally based independent pharmacies that serve our residents. These local staples often provide services that large chains cannot match, like on-site compounding and local consultation...and they are now caught in the middle of this fee hike.

Pharmacists around the state are bracing for the impact, possibly by finding ways to absorb the costs without passing them on to patients. The fear is that the "dispensing fee" will eventually lead to reduced hours or even permanent closures of mom-and-pop shops.

A Fight for Survival in the Healthcare Market

State industry leaders are pushing back against the new requirements, citing the importance of keeping independent options viable for the public. Without intervention, the diversity of the pharmaceutical market in Louisiana could shrink significantly in the coming months.

WVUE reports that some tough questions came up at a recent The Louisiana Pharmacy Benefit Manager Monitoring Advisory Council. An independent pharmacist Kyle Stevens questioned Optum Rx president Kathryn Carey "dispensing fees". Here is how WVUE reported the exchange went:

“Do you own your own pharmacy? Does Optum own its own pharmacy?” asked Kyle Stevens.

“Yes” said Carey.

“So, who set that five-dollar dispensing fee? Did I? Did the department of insurance who set that dispensing fee? Who chose that?” asked Stevens.

“Our network team” Carey replied.

“So, my competitor set my price” Stevens said.

“Our network team is not part of our pharmacy” Carey said.

“But Optum mail order, that’s the same company, correct?” said Stevens.

“It’s the same company. We have many different companies” Carey replied.

Right now, the Louisiana Department of Insurance says they are 'studying' this issue. But if they spend too much time 'studying' instead of 'fixing', some of our local pharmacies might not be able to stay afloat.

Legislators and healthcare advocates are expected to face pressure to address these rising fees before more businesses are forced to lock their doors. For now, the future of the local neighborhood pharmacist remains uncertain as the financial pressure continues to mount.