Local Pharmacist On 15 Day Fast To Protest Governor's Medi-Cal Budget Cuts

Main Category: Pharmacy / Pharmacist
Article Date: 27 Mar 2008 - 4:00 PDT

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Local Pharmacist Ira Freeman, RPh, of Key Pharmacy, is in his 11th day of a 15 day fast. He's fasting to protest the Governor's proposed 10% Medi-Cal providers cuts, which will negatively affect all Medi-Cal beneficiaries and the pharmacies that serve them.

"There's been very little press about how the cuts will really impact patients and the care they receive," said Ira Freeman. "Sadly, our most chronically ill patients will become sicker and end up in emergency rooms, which in turn will actually cost the state more."

Freeman doesn't service a high volume of Medi-Cal patients through his own pharmacy, but as a volunteer at Valley Community Clinic for the last 39 years and as a pharmacy consultant for them since 1970. Thus, he recognizes the vulnerability of the underserved and the affect these cuts will have on them.

In addition, Freeman is concerned about his colleagues in the pharmacy profession. He knows a lot of providers who service a heavy Medi-Cal population. Pharmacists are going to be forced to make a decision of dispensing Medi-Cal prescriptions at a loss or to stop accepting Medi-Cal altogether.

"The Medi-Cal population is very vulnerable and these budget cuts put providers in a compromising position of either going out of business or turning patients away. It's a no win situation," said Freeman. "Community pharmacy gives 110% to provide services above and beyond the norm, from delivering medications to the home to getting authorizations for drugs not on a formulary, pharmacists are always working for the patient. All of that is going to go away if the pharmacy can not stay in business."

The California Pharmacists Association is the largest state pharmacy association in the nation and the professional society representing all pharmacists in California. The mission of the Association is to act as the leader in advocating the role of the pharmacist as an essential provider of health care and to support pharmacists in providing optimal pharmaceutical and patient care.

California Pharmacists Association