Abstract
Medicare Part D plans incentivize the use of specific pharmacies through preferred networks. We found that independent pharmacies and pharmacies in low-income, Black, and Latinx neighborhoods were less likely to be preferred by most Part D plans than chains and pharmacies in other neighborhoods. Pharmacies that were not preferred by most plans were 70–350 percent more likely to close than other pharmacies.
The full study can be viewed at Health Affairs. A press release on the study is available here.
Guadamuz, J. S., & Qato, D. (2023, June). Medicare Part D Preferred Pharmacy Networks and Risk of Pharmacy Closure, 2014-2022. Health Affairs.
