Medicare Part D Preferred Pharmacy Networks And The Risk For Pharmacy Closure, 2014-23

Health Aff (Millwood). 2025 May;44(5):539-545. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2024.01452.

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.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Community Pharmacy Services* / statistics & numerical data
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Medicare Part D* / economics
  • Medicare Part D* / statistics & numerical data
  • Pharmacies* / statistics & numerical data
  • United States