Prescription for disaster

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Independent pharmacists are struggling to pay their bills after doling out free emergency medicines to Medicare Part D patients who were not completely covered by their health plans.

"We're just having an awful problem," said Curtis Robinson, owner of Robinson's Apothecary in Northeast.

Pharmacies, including Mr. Robinson's, reported last month that nationwide computer glitches in systems used by health insurers have forced them to give Medicare patients free medications while the problems are resolved.

The pharmacy, which made all of its roughly $270,000 in revenue last year from prescription-drug sales, gave out a couple hundred dollars worth of medications to patients who experienced problems initially getting their drugs through the Medicare drug benefit, Mr. Robinson said.

The drugs for 12 Medicare patients who couldn't pay are expected to cause a cash-flow crunch for the business because it will take weeks for health insurers to send reimbursements, Mr. Robinson said.

"Some of [the patients] got a 30-day supply while others got just a few pills," he said.

The pharmacy will not give out any more emergency medications to patients, he said.

"I worry about that," he said, adding he may have to turn away some beneficiaries this month.

Small pharmacies nationwide gave out on average 45 emergency medications to Medicare patients during the first two weeks of the program that started Jan. 1, according to the National Community Pharmacists Association.

In response, the Alexandria trade group for 24,350 independent pharmacies last week sent out 300 letters to drug wholesalers, manufacturers and health insurers, pleading with them to give pharmacies "flexibility" in paying their bills in the next few weeks.