Will in-office dispensing help medicare and medicaid patients?
New enhancements with medicare may diminish the value of in-office dispensing to those patients depending upon the prescription plan they choose. Since most of the drugs the physician would be dispensing are low-cost generic drugs, selling generic medications for just a few dollars above cost could still create benefit for the patient and the practice. Most elderly patients have a hard time getting around. Some use public transportation and may have to take a bus or walk to the nearest pharmacy to fill a prescription. In-office dispensing would eliminate that extra trip. Furthermore, up to 30% of prescriptions nationwide go unfilled. Filling the prescription in the office wil positively affect the physician’s control over outcome management.