Medical Economics December 4, 2024
Key Takeaways
- One-third of U.S. retail pharmacies closed since 2010, disproportionately affecting Black and Latino communities, with closures accelerating from 2018 due to industry consolidation.
- Independent pharmacies, often excluded from PBM networks, closed at twice the rate of chain stores, worsening health disparities in marginalized neighborhoods.
- Researchers recommend policy interventions, such as mandating preferred status in Medicare and Medicaid plans for at-risk pharmacies, to prevent further closures.
- Increasing Medicare Part D and Medicaid pharmacy reimbursement rates could protect critical access pharmacies, particularly in neighborhoods at risk of becoming pharmacy deserts.
The rate of pharmacy store closures has more than doubled in recent years in what researchers call an “unprecedented decline.”
A recent study by researchers from the University...
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