Pharmacy benefit manager Optum Rx has raised reimbursement minimums for brand-name drugs at around 2,300 independent pharmacies nationwide.
The change applies to pharmacies that are not affiliated with a pharmacy services administrative organization, chain or other network, according to a Sept. 16 news release from UnitedHealth Group.
The move comes after an earlier update this year when Optum Rx increased reimbursements for pharmacies in the Epic Pharmacy Network.
The company said the change is intended to address financial pressures on smaller pharmacies by ensuring that the prescriptions are reimbursed at a positive margin, the release said.