Why is the College concerned about Preferred Provider Networks?

A business model or agreement that limits patients’ choice of pharmacists and pharmacies can interfere with continuity of care and timely access to pharmacy services. Patients can be deprived of pharmacy care that meets their diverse needs, whether related to language, cultural safety or anything else that might factor into their choice of a health care provider. Where patient care may be compromised, the College is concerned.

Here’s an example: A patient has been receiving regular medications from their chosen local pharmacy for five years. But because their employer-provided health insurance has entered an agreement with a specific chain of pharmacies only, they must go to a different pharmacy in the next town to receive specialty medication. Now the patient needs to choose between splitting their prescriptions at different pharmacies (which can increase the risk of errors), switching everything to an unknown pharmacy that they can’t easily access or staying with their trusted pharmacy and paying extensive drug costs out of pocket.