Virginia Regulatory Town Hall
Agency
Department of Health Professions
 
Board
Board of Pharmacy
 
chapter
Regulations Governing the Practice of Pharmacy [18 VAC 110 ‑ 20]
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1/28/14  3:05 pm
Commenter: Travis Hale, Remington Drug Co

Coupon Inflating Overall Costs
 

I am not a supporter of coupons as I feel they drastically add to the overall costs of the system as the patient, in many instances, does not see the true cost of the medication. Many times there is a generic alternative that would clinically provide the same benefit. I see this most often in dermatology as topical products come out under a new Brand Name with a slightly adjusted strength. Given the difference in cost of the medication, it is not necessarily cost effective to go with the Brand just because the doctors office has given the patient a coupon. Most patients will take the medication where the coupon has cut the price to $25 for example, when their normal copay would be $100. When that copay coupon is no longer active, they no longer want to get the product. They're willing to accept the generic at that point. This has resulted in a large dollar amount being applied to the overall system while they filled the Brand name with a coupon, when they would have been fine with a less expensive generic had they been responsible for their insurance copay. The pharmacy can also be stuck with a partial bottle of an expensive medication that they may or may not see another script for, resulting in drug expiration and a monetary loss.

CommentID: 30965