End Medicaid’s pharmacy carve-out
Manhattan: Three decades ago, at the height of the HIV/ AIDS epidemic, my organization opened its doors to provide connections to medical care, harm reduction, peer support and housing assistance. Yet, as we deal with the most significant public health crisis in the last 100 years, New York State is forging ahead with a policy that would disrupt care for vulnerable New Yorkers on Medicaid and threaten the financial stability of safety net providers.
The Department of Health’s proposal to carve out the pharmacy benefit from Medicaid managed care plans to a one-size-fits-all bureaucracy will have catastrophic results for safety net providers and the New Yorkers who rely on us for critical services, including COVID-19 vaccination, low-cost medications, food and nutrition programs and other supportive services. Instead, the state would take this revenue directly.
A year ago, the carve-out was passed in a rushed budget process without full consideration of the consequences for safety net providers and consumers. We applaud the state Senate and Assembly for their budget proposals and urge lawmakers to reject the carve-out in the final state budget on April 1.
The pandemic highlights the devastating health inequalities that we deal with every day. Now is not the time to eviscerate the health care safety net for New Yorkers who rely on their community providers.
Reverse the carve-out and engage stakeholders in a more meaningful process to meet the policy objectives intended. Sharen I. Duke
executive director and CEO, Alliance for Positive Change