The NCIDC Considers Alternatives in Fight for Affordable Medications for Their Patients
Dermatology Network, looking for relief from the forces that have sent medication prices skyrocketing, are exploring other options
CARY, NC, US, February 26, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ -- “Though dermatologists write prescriptions, most don’t know what drugs will cost their patient. That is unless they belong to the North Carolina Independent Dermatologist Collaboration,” said Parker Eales, administrator for the collaboration, “Connecting with other dermatologists to improve care and lower costs, the NCIDC1 was ultimately founded to help with patient issues like this.”As out-of-pocket healthcare costs grow, patients as consumers are sometimes faced with the challenge of being able to afford and take their medication as prescribed. Within the past two years dermatologists have had situations where they had prescribed an anti-fungal cream to a patient and in a follow-up, discovered that a treatment that should have cost her less than $8 ended up costing $1,200. They are finding it unsustainable for patients.
Now, with prices of commonly prescribed drugs—not just brand drugs but generics as well—skyrocketing and patients' copayments rising in tandem or fluctuating wildly, dermatologists and patients are finding themselves between a rock and a hard place.
The North Carolina Independent Dermatology Collaboration is considering using utilizing compounding pharmacies ( like Skin Medicinals2) to specially mix medications for patients. This is demonstrating a true unifying of our dermatologists to explore ways to create real savings and become an advocate for improvements in patient care. This issue has been a grassroots effort from some of our members to assist patients with the rising drug costs.
By empowering patients to be purchasers of lower-cost medications patients can benefit from lower health costs and greater access. Price transparency and consumer choice push down the average price of health care services. The NCIDC works to make health care more affordable and accessible and allow patients to choose lower-cost independent physicians not owned by hospitals and private equity companies.
“The North Carolina Independent Dermatology Collaboration is working to provide innovative access to care and price transparency for our patients,” said Parker Eales, Administrator of the NCIDC. “We understand the importance of price transparency in health care. Efforts like the NCIDC is making to explore the lowering of medication costs improve our patients’ experience and give them more control in managing their health and costs.”
Many of North Carolina’s independent dermatology physician groups have formed a regional collaborative designed to allow them to provide the benefits of a clinically integrated collaboration which include higher efficiency of care, improved quality, more effective delivery, lower costs, and increased savings.
The organization, dubbed the North Carolina Independent Dermatology Collaborative, brings together a very large number of providers of dermatology care spanning the Triangle area of North Carolina. The physicians have built an organization for physicians by physicians that will allow the participating physicians to achieve the advantages of being part of a larger clinically integrated system. Member physician practices will facilitate lowering costs, all while providing high-quality care with the same hometown doctor patients have come to know and trust — all without sacrificing their independence.
The founding members of the Collaborative in addition to its large general dermatology care base, offer a broad range of dermatology specialties, from Dermatopathology to Pediatric Dermatology and Dermatologic surgery including Mohs surgery to Cosmetic Dermatology and much more.
The North Carolina Independent Dermatology Collaborative comprises 25 independent dermatology providers who serve estimated 250,000-plus patients in the area. Formed amid increasing healthcare consolidation and value-based care models, the collaborative is intended to provide higher efficiencies at lower costs.
Parker Eales
North Carolina Independent Dermatology Collaboration
+1 919-303-4053
email us here
1 https://ncdermcollaboration.com/
2 https://www.skinmedicinals.com/
3 https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-drug-prices-dermatology/dermatology-drug-prices-in-u-s-soared-in-recent-years-idUSKBN0TE2JI20151125