MIDDLEPORT, N.Y. — All of us could see some changes when we head to the pharmacy next spring - because of new laws signed by Governor Kathy Hochul that aim to both lower the prices you pay and increase mental health care.
“Everything is going up though, everything. People can barely afford food let alone their prescriptions, but they need their prescriptions,” said Black Rock Pharmacy customer Christine Punturo.
Punturo shared those worries with us recently while buying prescriptions of her own.
To help you better understand what all of this means for your wallet, we spoke with two local pharmacists, Brad Arthur at Black Rock Pharmacy, and Stephen Giroux at Middleport Family Health Center.
They tell us the price for medicine, especially without insurance, is not cheap.
According to the US Census Bureau, 4.9% of New Yorkers don't have health insurance.
“Pharmaceutical pricing is a huge issue in our country,” Giroux said.
“For example, diabetes drugs, when I got out of pharmacy school... insulin costed a patient $20-$25,” Arthur said. “Today, the average insulin product is north of $700, sometimes $800."
However, now your pharmacist can call to give you a warning before your prescription's price ever goes up again.
That's because of a new law that takes effect in June, that will require pharmaceutical manufactures to notify the state anytime they plan to increase prices.
“It's very important, we can plan, we can warn patients, we can look for therapeutic alternatives for our patients, we can do a lot of things,” Giroux said.
The Governor also signed into law another bill that will expand the roles of pharmacists like Giroux.
Starting April 1, pharmacists can inject medications though syringes for the treatment of mental health and substance use disorders.
“We are very accessible as health care professionals, [and] we are already doing immunizations,” Giroux said. “We did thousands and thousands of Covid immunizations, we do flu shots, shingles shots, pneumonia shots.”
Giroux feels this change is going to help people get medicine quicker than a doctor's visit.
“Typically pharmacists see their patients 12-36 times a year, and physicians even the sickest of patients, may see them 3-4 times a year. We have many more opportunities for that patient interaction,” Giroux. “It’s going to dramatically improve access to mental health care for many patients.”
Lawmakers say this will also get help into the hands of New Yorkers in so-called health care deserts, where access to primary care physicians is more challenging.
