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Dispensing Fees Are the Latest Threat to Small-Town Charm
ROBERTSON COUNTY TENNESSEE: (Smokey Barn News) –Sumner and Robertson Counties have long been celebrated for their small-town charm and close-knit communities. Yet, as rapid population growth reshapes our landscape, it’s becoming harder to hold onto the qualities that make these areas special. Small businesses—particularly the independent pharmacies that are the backbone of our rural healthcare system—are being pushed to the brink by rising costs, and dispensing fees are a major culprit.
A dispensing fee, meant to cover the cost of preparing and dispensing prescriptions, has skyrocketed for small pharmacies across Tennessee. Legislation passed last year now mandates that low-volume pharmacies, those dispensing fewer than 65,000 prescriptions annually, charge at least $13.16 per prescription.
In Sumner and Robertson Counties, where many residents rely on independently owned pharmacies, this fee hike is driving up healthcare costs for families and employers alike. For an average family with multiple prescriptions, these fees add hundreds of dollars annually. Small businesses, already grappling with rising operating costs, now face even greater challenges offering healthcare benefits to their employees.
The consequences are stark: higher costs force residents to switch to larger chain pharmacies in urban areas, cutting off rural pharmacies from their customer base. These pharmacies are more than just businesses, they’re pillars of our communities. Losing them means fewer jobs, less personalized care, and another hit to the small-town character we all cherish.
At the Tennessee Employer Benefits Alliance, we’re fighting to lower prescription costs because we believe no family or small business should have to choose between financial stability and healthcare.
Dispensing fees in their current form are a roadblock to maintaining the vibrant, thriving communities that have made Sumner and Robertson Counties such desirable places to live.
It’s time to revisit this legislation and craft solutions that support our rural pharmacies without saddling families and small businesses with unsustainable costs.
Let’s preserve the heart of our communities, not price it out of existence.
—Michael G. Curcio is the chairman of the Tennessee Employer Benefits Alliance’s board of directors. For more information, visit www.tneba.com.
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