It's Only News When It Happens to Me

I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

It seems there is an issue setting the pharmacy blogsphere on fire, absolute fire I tell you. People are mad as hell and aren't going to take it anymore. Government and corporate America are conspiring to hurt people and threaten a way of life and they must be stopped!

The Medicare checks are late.

I'm not saying people aren't getting screwed. They are. Here's the situation in a nutshell. One of the biggest companies that process drug insurance claims (known as PBM's) for the new Medicare Part D is a wholly owned subsidiary of Walgreens, you know, the pharmacy America trusts. PBM's have long been known for "low & slow" reimbursement, but the Walgreens subsidiary, WHI, has taken these shitty business practices to a new level. Reports are coming in from all over the pharmacy universe of your friendly neighborhood pharmacist's business being damaged by the likes of WHI.

But wait. Someone understands their pain. A mass mailing that went out to pretty much every independently owned drugstore starts off with the words "today's challenging pharmacy environment of Medicare and Medicaid changes, pharmacist shortages and shrinking margins." The letter is from no other than Walgreens, and they're offering to put the independent out of their misery by buying their business.

Got that? One part of Walgreens (WHI) screws you, while another part says. "Oh man, you're really getting screwed. I'll do you a favor and buy you out" Call me crazy, but I'd be willing to bet the buyout terms aren't the best for Mr. small businessman.

Let's take another step back. The Republicans come up with a Medicare Drug benefit. Democrats say it stinks & we can do better. Republicans say "shut up bitch, we control everything & it's going through." Big Pharma gets an erection at the thought of all the extra money they're going to make. Most pharmacists vote for Bush in November because they think John Kerry looks funny in a wind surfing outfit. The Medicare Part D plan turns out to be the vehicle that Corporate America uses to drive what might be the final nail in the coffin for independent pharmacy. A legislative fix is proposed, HR 5182, which would require timely payments for Medicare claims. The bill has 94 co-sponsors. 57 from one party and 37 from the other. Do you think most of the sponsors are Republicans? They did say in their 2000 platform after all that "Small businesses generate more than half the gross domestic product. They deserve better treatment from government." and in 2004 that "small business is America's economic engine." Go to the tattoo parlor and have "CLUELESS" stamped across your forehead if you do. The party that is trying, and that will most likely fail, to save your sorry ass from the Republican agenda is the party of Howard Dean, but you were too busy laughing at his scream to see the freight train headed your way.

WELL DO YOU GET IT NOW????????? AFTER TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DEAD INNOCENT PEOPLE IN IRAQ, AFTER THE TOTALLY PREDICTABLE AND PREVENTABLE DESTRUCTION OF A MAJOR AMERICAN CITY, AFTER 6 YEARS OF CRONYISM, CORRUPTION, STUPIDITY, AND LIFE-THREATENING INCOMPETENCE, DO YOU FUCKING GET IT NOW THAT THEY ARE AFTER YOU?????? On June 1st a light bulb finally went off in at least one person's head. Richard Burge posted over at grassrootsrx.org on that day "When exactly do people lose their jobs in government service for not doing them properly?"

Welcome to reality Richard. I don't know whether to laugh in your face or kick you in the nuts.