Pharmacist Sues State Over Employees Prescription Drug Plan

A state policy that restricts government employees to only one pharmacy to provide certain life-saving drugs could put their lives at risk.
That’s the word from a local pharmacist who's filed suit against the state over this policy.
Flowood-based Transcript Pharmacy President Cliff Osbon filed a civil lawsuit in Hinds County circuit court against the state to halt its decision restricting state government workers who need life saving-medicines to that pharmacy in Pennsylvania.
"And we think the state employees and their families deserve a chance to choose the pharmacy that provides these medicines," he says.
Osbon says the issue came up recently after a school teacher went to Walgreens to get a prescription filled.
"She was told by Walgreens that they could not fill her initial order in less than five days."
But the patient couldn't wait five days. So the drug store sent the teacher to Osbon’s pharmacy.
He says, "We processed her order and investigated and she got her order the next day."

State's response to Cliff Osbon's claims
The State and School Employees Health Insurance Plan provides medical and prescription drug coverage to the nearly 200,000 employees, retirees, and dependents of the State’s agencies, universities, community/junior colleges, public school districts and public libraries. One of the fastest growing segments of the State Health Plan prescription drug costs is specialty drugs. In the second quarter of 2010, specialty drugs accounted for nearly 18% of the Plan’s total drug spend. Effective management of specialty drugs has become a critical component of our prescription drug program.

The State did not enter into a new or separate contract with Walgreens for this service. The specialty pharmacy component was made available through an existing contract with the State's Pharmacy Benefit Manager. This program provides patients with access to the Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy Care Team, including pharmacists, nurses and patient care coordinators, to provide personalized support. A Care Team representative regularly contacts patients to provide direction that can enhance the effectiveness of their medication. Specialty medications are conveniently delivered to patients at their doctor’s office, clinic, treatment center or their home. Patients receive full access to therapy management programs that include patient education, side effect management, appropriate dosing, and live 24/7 clinical support.

The program was implemented because it is the belief that it has the greatest potential to help participants get the most out of their use of these specialty drugs, help improve their overall health, and decrease the overall healthcare costs of the Plan.

Kym Wiggins
Public Information Officer
Mississippi Department of Finance & Administration
P. O. Box 267
Jackson, MS 39205
Phone: (601) 359-3566
Fax: (601) 359-2405