Groups battle over health plans that mandate use of mail-order pharmacies

With the cost of prescription medications rising, there are many efforts underway to get more people to use mail-order pharmacies, such as Canadian internet pharmacies, which generally offer lower prices. However, these initiatives are increasingly coming under fire.

For example, lawmakers in New York recently approved a bill that would ban insurance companies from mandating the use of mail-order pharmacies among policy holders, according to local news station WAMC. The bill is currently on Governor Andrew Cuomo’s desk. He will either sign it into law or veto it.

The news source reports that groups are currently lobbying him to decline to sign the bill. Proponents say insurance programs that compel individuals to use mail order and Canadian internet pharmacies save significant amounts of money in the long-run.

These types of insurance plans could have other benefits as well. A recent study published in the American Journal of Managed Care showed that diabetics are more likely to stick to prescribed treatments when they get their medications from mail-order pharmacies.