The impact of managed care on pharmacy practice.

As prescription drug costs continue their rapid rise, managed care organizations (MCOs) are giving greater attention to containing drug costs. This article examines the impact of managed care on pharmacy practice and reviews types of reimbursement for managed care prescriptions. The author outlines cost-containment measures for MCOs and pharmacy benefit management companies, including the use of mail order pharmacies, electronic claims payment, establishment of formularies, therapeutic interchange and generic incentives, and other measures. Cost-containment steps for pharmacies focus on identifying dispensing costs, decreasing overhead, and reducing ingredient costs. The author recommends that pharmacists begin to demonstrate and establish the value of their cognitive services, especially in patient counseling, in order to obtain reimbursement for these services.