Pharmacy
The SHC is equipped with an in-house pharmacy. The
pharmacist may fill any prescription written by a medical
practitioner licensed to practice in the state of Texas.
The pharmacy stocks only certain medications. Students
are advised to call for availability. The pharmacy is
able to purchase certain medications at a substantial
discount and pass the savings on to the students. In
some cases, medications are available for less than
an insurance co-payment. Click here
to view a price comparison of a few select medications.
Please feel free to contact the pharmacy directly at
294-1803 for additional information.
PHARMACY NOTICE:
The Student Health Center Pharmacy regrets to announce
a significant increase in the student price of brand
name Ortho Tri-Cyclen LO . This price
increase is due to a dramatic rise in the price traditionally
given to college pharmacies by the manufacturer. (See
full explanation below)
We will no longer be able to sell Ortho Tri-Cyceln
LO for $9.70. Instead, it will be available
for $50.90. This new price is more comparable to a standard
retail price range. ($53.99 at Walgreens, $52.98 at
Wal-Mart.)
If you are currently using Ortho Tri-Cyclen
LO and would like to switch to another oral
contraceptive pill that is cheaper, please call 294-1805
to set up an appointment to discuss other contraceptive
options with a provider.
The prices of other oral contraceptive pills currently
at the SHC Pharmacy are not affected and remain in the
$17.26 to $41.05 price range.
Full explanation for price
increase:
We have been forced to raise our price because
the pharmaceutical manufacturer for Ortho Tri-Cyclen
LO has stopped selling their product to college health
centers at a steeply discounted price. The impetus for
the pharmaceutical companies' decision has to do with
passage of the federal Deficit
Reduction Act (DRA) of 2005. Prior to passage of
the DRA, drug companies were able to sell contraceptives
to college health centers at steeply discounted prices
while charging state Medicaid programs a higher price
for the same products. Drug companies could, in effect,
exclude these discounted prices in calculating the cost
of contraceptives sold to Medicaid. The Center for Medicare
and Medicaid Services (CMS) is interpreting new provisions
in the DRA as prohibiting companies from continuing
this practice. In essence, CMS is telling drug companies
they will need to charge Medicaid a lower price for
these products or pay a financial penalty if they continue
to sell contraceptives at lower prices to college health
centers than they do to the Medicaid program. As you
can imagine, the drug companies have elected to stop
selling contraceptives to college health centers at
steeply discounted prices.
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