Indie pharmacy owners are wary of drug program
By HME News Staff
Updated 9:59 AM CDT, Mon September 8, 2025
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Nearly 20% of independent pharmacists won’t stock drugs in the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program and another 67% might not participate, according to a new survey from the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA). “Independent pharmacists want this program to work, and they want to participate,” says NCPA CEO B. Douglas Hoey. “But the program must be implemented in a way that makes business sense or independent pharmacies won’t be able to participate to help make the program successful.” The survey was conducted from Aug. 15-21 and was sent to about 10,450 independent pharmacy owners, with 405 responding. Additional results from the survey:
- When asked if they have enrolled in the Medicare Transaction Facilitator (MTF), 39% stated yes, their pharmacy/all their pharmacies were enrolled, 31% stated no they have not begun the enrollment process, and 22% stated no but they have begun the enrollment process. The remainder of respondents stated that they began but gave up (4%), they haven’t and do not know what MTF is (4%) or that they do not participate in any Medicare Part D network (0.2%).
- When asked if they have declined one or more PBM contracts for 2026, 47% stated yes, with the majority of those (62%) being from Express Scripts.
- 87% stated that they have not finalized all their contract year 2026 Part D contracts and do not know which plans they will be participating in.
NCPA shared the survey results in a letter to Mehmet Oz, head of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
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