Delaware Drops Plans for Mail-Order Medicaid Rxs

Under fire from community pharmacygroups, officials in Delawarehave abandoned controversial plans toadd an optional mail-order componentto the state's Medicaid program. Earlierthis year, program officials in Wilmingtonproposed making mail orderpart of the state's Medicaid Rx program.The scheme drew strenuousobjections from EPIC pharmacies inDelaware as well as from national pharmacygroups.

Representatives of the NationalCommunity Pharmacists Association(NCPA) warned that the mail-orderplan would harm the state's poorest citizenswho currently "benefit from face-to-face contact with their communitypharmacist." According to NCPA, "theproposed goal of ‘quality improvement'for Medicaid recipients would not beaccomplished by the use of mail order."

Mr. Rankin is a freelance medical writer.