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These pharmacy deserts are defined as areas where residents live more than ten miles away from the nearest pharmacy in rural regions, two miles away in suburban areas, and one mile away in urban environments. This lack of proximity poses significant challenges for the elderly population, who rely heavily on prescription drugs to manage their health conditions.
Pharmacy Benefit Managers are driving pharmacies out of rural areas—driving up cost and making it harder to get prescriptions. pic.twitter.com/EKQSupaMa3
— Sen. James Lankford (@SenatorLankford) December 17, 2024
The statistics paint a stark picture: nearly 90% of adults aged 65 and older took at least one prescription medication last year, with a staggering 60% requiring four or more different prescriptions. The loss of local pharmacies has made it increasingly difficult for these seniors to access the vital medications they need.
According to Dr. Dima Qato, the director of the medicines and public health program at the University of Southern California, the root cause of this pharmacy closure crisis can be attributed to “a lot of mergers and vertical integration in the pharmacy industry and low reimbursement rates through Medicare Part D.”
In response, various efforts have been undertaken to address these pharmacy deserts, including calls for policy changes such as eliminating preferred pharmacy networks in Medicare Part D and offering government subsidies to support rural and independent pharmacies.
This is insane. I’m in a CVS Pharmacy in New York City and literally everything is locked up where you have to call an associate.
I’m not just talking about the expensive items. We’re to the point where candy bars are now not accessible without someone getting it.
This is what… pic.twitter.com/7HKKUpL7ce
— Joey Mannarino (@JoeyMannarinoUS) September 22, 2024
“You either let them die, or you subsidize them with taxpayer money,” said Dr. Ge Bai, a health policy and management researcher at Johns Hopkins. “It will be expensive to do” but may halt pharmacy deserts.
As the issue continues to impact the lives of countless seniors across the nation, it remains imperative for policymakers and healthcare stakeholders to find sustainable solutions to ensure equitable access to essential medications for this vulnerable population.
