15,000+

...And just like that, 15,000 pharmacies disappear from the Tricare network. 

For those of you who may not know, Tricare is the health care system used by military, both active and retired. It's not a horrible system, but it isn't great either. Over the years, the retiree benefits have been whittled away, a little at a time. One of the best benefits was the pharmacy network. Nearly all pharmacies accepted Tricare. This was a big deal because a lot of people who served came from small towns in fly-over country. When they retired, they went back. They were comfortable in knowing that the Tricare network would serve them, even in the smallest of towns. Based on this latest action, can losing your local doctor be next? 

Every year our government sends billions to foreign governments and NGOs that are beyond corrupt. Every year trillions are earmarked for boondoggle federal spending. Yet, they can't seem to find a few million to honor a commitment they made to us years ago when we signed on the dotted line. 

I wonder if the health care system that covers civilian federal employees has had a sharp decrease in their pharmacy network. I'd bet a nickel not. Not to this extent. 

Many of us military folks retired to small town USA. I can think of at least a dozen of my former military friends and colleagues who decided that small town life was what they wanted. These small towns don't have a Safeway or a Rite-Aid. All they have is the guy or gal who followed in the footsteps of their mom or dad who hung up their mortar and pestle sign all those years ago. Access to those small town pharmacies has now been eliminated. Many of these pharmacies could be impacted enough where they will be forced to close. In addition, the nearest military treatment facility for many could be 100's of miles away. 

Sure, the new system has prescription by mail. This already existed. But mailed prescriptions doesn't do any good for people who need a prescriptions immediately. Plus, the mail is not secure. Theft of drugs within the postal system is an issue. Where do folks go now if they have to fill a prescription today, or replace the ones that got stolen? I guess a two hour drive to Spokane, or Lincoln, or Great Falls, or Bismarck is what will have to happen. 

I wonder if these large chain pharmacies and the pharmaceutical companies had a hand pushing in this decision. This change is lucrative for both. And before you call me a conspiracy theorists just remember us so-called conspiracy theorists are 17-0-1 over the last few years. 

Fortunately, for my better half and I, we have access to a chain pharmacy. Yippee!! Now I get to stand in line with dozens of other folks who are getting their prescription filled by someone who doesn't know me from Adam. Yet, there are many of us who do not have this easy access. 

This is the kind of thing that happens when unelected bureaucrats make decisions in a vacuum. These bureaucrats don't even consider the folks who live outside their bubble. Or if they do think about us, it's not in glowing terms.