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Hundreds of small town pharmacists fear a change in the state’s Medicaid program could force some independently owned drug stores to close. The state wants all Medicaid recipients to order their drugs from a mail-order company. As Whitney Ray tells us, the change will mean layoffs or even worse for community drug stores.

In the quaint panhandle town of Monticello, hundreds of locals owe their loyalty and even more to Jackson Drug Store. A few decades ago, Betty Conner turned to the drug store for help when her kids were sick and she was broke.

“Back then people weren’t making much money, and I could come up here and get prescriptions,” said Conner.

What the anchor the drug store provides to Monticello is in jeopardy. A reworking of the state’s Medicaid program could force those receiving the entitlement to get their drugs from a mail-order drug company.

With three out of every four customers at this drug store on Medicaid, owner Tracey Jackson says the change could force her store will close.

” We won’t be able to stay in business. This town needs small businesses,” said Jackson.

The change has statewide implications. There are 900 independent pharmacists in Florida. Friday several traveled to Tallahassee to speak out against the plan.

Right now the state is gathering input and listening to the public about how they think Medicaid should be reformed. It’s all in an effort to save millions of taxpayer dollars.

2.9 million Floridians are on the Medicaid rolls… It costs an average of 7-thousand taxpayer dollars a year per patient.

A smaller number… Just 10 people work at the Jackson’s drug store. And if the state follows through with its plan they will be looking for new jobs. Changes to the prescription program are still in the works and aren’t expected to go into effect until July of 2012. Pharmacists focused on stopping the changes will probably have to enlist the help of sympathetic lawmakers.

Medicaid Reform Mettings

The way Medicaid is managed in Florida is changing. Today the first of several meetings was held to gather public input and answer questions about the Medicaid reform passed by the state legislature earlier this year. Those changes include forcing many of the state’s 2.9 million Medicaid recipients into managed care organizations, like HMOs. Roberta Bradford the Deputy Secretary of Medicaid for the state Agency for Health Care Administration says public input will improve the program.

“It’s to provide individuals with an opportunity for public input that could include suggestions, comments, recommendations, but our objective is to get feedback and use that feedback to improve it moving forward,” said Bradford.

Opponents of the plan say taking the management responsibility away from the state will demises the quality of care. Supporters say it will save the state money. More public meetings will be held throughout the state next week. For a list go to our website.

List of meetings.

http://ahca.myflorida.com/Medicaid/statewide_mc/index.shtml