An independent Pennsylvania pharmacy is closing nine of its stores, including a location in Westmoreland County.
Mainline Pharmacy, which has a store in Harrison City, announced the closures on Facebook, saying, “This decision was not made lightly, and we understand the impact it may have on you and your loved ones.”
The business says so far in 2024, it has filled more than 17,000 prescriptions at a loss of over $350,000. Mainline Pharmacy blames the loss on pharmacy benefit managers, which it describes as the middlemen who contract with the insurance company and the pharmacy.
The pharmacy says it filled more prescriptions in 2023 than in any of its 40-plus years of business, but on more than 30% of the prescriptions, it was paid less by the pharmacy benefit managers than what it cost to buy the medication from the wholesaler. The business said it’s been filling prescriptions at up to $200 under the purchase price.
Mainline Pharmacy said often a full day’s worth of profitable prescriptions doesn’t even offset an unprofitable day. “The harsh reality is we are forced to compete on an unfair playing field,” the business wrote.
