Medicaid Cost of Dispensing Surveys

BEST PHARMACY PRACTICES FOR COMPLETING A MEDICAID COST OF DISPENSING SURVEY

Medicaid cost of dispensing (COD) surveys directly determine the professional Medicaid dispensing fee paid to pharmacies. While almost all states use these data to set fees for their Medicaid fee-for-service programs, an increasing number are using these data to set fees in their Medicaid managed care programs. According to federal rules, states must set these fees based on actual pharmacy costs, not market rates. Incomplete or inaccurate pharmacy responses can lead to underpayment across the state. A strong survey response by pharmacists leads to more accurate dispensing fees — and better outcomes for independent pharmacies.