Any Willing Provider and Freedom of Choice laws restrict the ability of managed care
entities, including pharmacy benefit managers, to selectively contract with providers. The
managed care entities argue this limits their ability to generate cost savings, while proponents of
the laws suggest that such selective contracts limit competition, leading to an increase in
aggregate costs.
Currently, 35 states, including Florida, have some form of Any Willing Provider Law. In Florida, they apply ONLY to state employees or workers compensation patients, and only for their prescriptions, but NOT for the medical provider. This restricts access to care, and competition in the free market. Florida champions the free market economy, but apparently it is more lip service than substance. Large insurance corporations have successfully lobbied for closed panels that limit who a patient can choose to see for their care. While this saves the insurance company money, it severely limits timely access to quality care! From a pharmacy standpoint, it also increases the cost of a patient’s medications.
Florida needs to update their laws to allow patients the TRUE freedom of choice they preach in the marketplace! By allowing insurers to limit who can provide care, patients must choose between waiting to see a provider (which can take weeks or months!) or going to the emergency department for their care. This is the LEAST economical method of providing care. Emergency departments are already overcrowded across the state, leading to worse problems. By mandating a more open market approach to care, patients will be able to see a provider quicker, and more economically!
By allowing patients to get their medications filled at the pharmacy of THEIR choice, the cost of prescriptions will also go down. This will save YOU money, but it will also increase competition in the market. This will also make prices go down! Win/win!
Call your legislators and let them know your thoughts! By giving patients the freedom to seek medical care at a provider of their choice, timely access to care is increased, and will ultimately lower the cost of healthcare!
