The financial impact of OBRA-90 on community pharmacies: an overview.

The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 (OBRA-90) may be the most significant piece of legislation affecting the practice of pharmacy since the Durham-Humphrey amendments to the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. As part of the OBRA-90 legislation, the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) was required to publish estimates of the impact of the act on states, Medicaid recipients, and pharmacies. Numerous stakeholders and researchers have commented on the HCFA estimates. We have summarized the estimates available in comments and studies and conducted a sensitivity analysis on these estimates. Our results demonstrate considerable variation in the factors important in estimating the impact of OBRA-90 on pharmacy operations. This variation indicates the scarcity of empirical data needed to produce reliable impact estimates. Demonstration projects are needed to scientifically evaluate the total impact of OBRA-90 on pharmacy practice. Moreover, further investigation of the impact of the legislation on program recipients and states is warranted.