•June 26, 2019•
By Peter Hancock
Capitol News Illinois

Independent pharmacies that serve Medicaid patients in small communities in Illinois will soon start receiving additional payments from the state.
The Department of Healthcare and Family Services confirmed Monday that it has begun implementing a program lawmakers established in 2018 known as the Critical Access Care Pharmacy Program, which provides up to $10 million a year in additional reimbursements for independent, brick and mortar pharmacies located in counties with fewer than 50,000 people.
Under the program, qualifying pharmacies receive quarterly payments from the state, based on the number of prescriptions they fill that are reimbursed by the state’s Medicaid program.
A spokesperson for DHFS said Monday the agency does not have data reflecting how many Illinois pharmacies qualify for the program.
The program was included as part of the budget package that lawmakers approved during the 2018 session. It will be funded for a second year in the budget that takes effect July 1.     Login or Subscribe to read the rest of this story.