§ 20-77-407 — Pharmaceutical dispensing fee survey

(a) No more than two (2) years before making any changes to the current pharmaceutical dispensing fee, the Department of Human Services shall conduct an independent survey utilizing generally accepted accounting principles to determine the cost of dispensing a prescription by pharmacists in Arkansas. (b) (1) Only factors relative to the cost of dispensing shall be surveyed under subsection (a) of this section. (2) The factors surveyed under subsection (a) of this section shall not include actual acquisition costs, average profit, or any combination of actual acquisition costs or average profit. (c) (1) The survey results obtained under this section shall be the basis for establishing the dispensing fee paid to participating pharmacies in the Medicaid prescription drug program in accordance with federal requirements. (2) The dispensing fee shall be no lower than the cost of dispensing as determined by the survey conducted under this section. (d) This section does not prohibit the department from increasing the dispensing fee at any time.

Legislative History

Added by Act 2023, No. 865,§ 8, eff. 7/1/2023.