In one to two weeks, BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, Missouri State Medicaid is considering a pharmacy change that would result in an interruption of care for tens of thousands of  Medicaid patients.  Missouri would require Medicaid patients to use only generic cholesterol lowering medications first and the patient would need to “fail” at taking the generic before being allowed to switch to a more effective statin.  Why would the State want to gamble with a “failure” given the high costs associated with hospitalization and rehabilitation post-heart attack and post-stroke?

After I had a stroke, my physician explained to me that the best statin on the market is Lipitor because there is greater “evidence” it reduces strokes and heart attacks, while safely and effectively lowering “bad” cholesterol.  Generic statins, in many cases, won’t get most patients’ ”bad” cholesterol to the desired levels.  I even asked my physician if I could be switched to a cost saving generic and he said, “if you were my father, you would stay on Lipitor because it does the best job in reducing your chances of having another stroke or heart attack.”

Missouri would lessen the standard of care for Medicaid patients in the preventative mode and probably incur great expenses long- term in patient healthcare through increases in heart attacks and strokes.  Short-term, the State can save money.

We should demand our state legislators oppose this pharmacy change and leave patient care up to physicians - not insurance providers!

William A. Phipps
Wildwood