More than 2,000 independent pharmacies are said to be rejoining the Tricare retail pharmacy network, according to officials at Cigna/Express Scripts, which manages the prescription plan. As of Oct. 24, there were 14,963 independent pharmacies that left the Tricare retail pharmacy network — primarily due to their objections about low reimbursement rates — out of 55,586 retail pharmacies in the network. The loss affects an estimated 400,000 Tricare beneficiaries. Advocates and lawmakers have expressed concern about the decrease in pharmacies and its effect on beneficiaries. It is our understanding that many pharmacies were offered the same unfavorable terms that were originally offered last summer when Cigna/ESI created the new Tricare pharmacy network.
NCPA