Pharmacist organizations scolded Cigna and Express Scripts for plans to drop 15,000 pharmacies from their 2023 Tricare networks, which could affect more than 400,000 people in the Defense Department's health plan.
Decisions made by pharmacy benefit manager Express Scripts and Cigna, an insurance company, that led to the current waiting game for thousands of pharmacies should be reversed, the pharmacy groups argued. To avoid an unnecessary change in patient care and retain these locations, which are mostly rural, they said Express Scripts and Cigna should keep 2022's terms and conditions.
The National Community Pharmacists Association, the Alliance for Pharmacy Compounding, the American Pharmacists Association, the National Association of Specialty Pharmacy, the National Home Infusion Association and the Senior Care Pharmacy Coalition penned a letter detailing their criticisms and sent it to the companies Dec. 6.
After backlash, Express Scripts said it would send contract solicitations in December to the pharmacies that left in late October to reinstate them.
"Although we have seen messaging that alleges pharmacies 'chose' not to participate in the network, the fact that even large corporations like Kroger found the contract terms unsustainable underscores the problem with the contract, including below cost reimbursements," the letter said.
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