Pacific Arthritis offers in-office access to specialty medications through our Medically Integrated Dispensary (MID). The MID is similar to a pharmacy, except it is supervised by our physicians and available at this time only to our Medicare patients. Infusion or injection medications received through the MID are billed to Medicare Part D, your prescription drug benefit, and then dispensed in-house to be given to you in our infusion center. This allows us efficiencies in how your medications are sourced and managed and may even reduce your out-of-pocket costs.
Right To Choose Your Own Pharmacy
However, you always have the right to have your prescriptions filled at any pharmacy you prefer, including one you already use or trust. If you would like your prescription sent to a different pharmacy, simply let us know, and we will make that happen without any delay to your care.
Biosimilars
At some point, your physician may decide to switch your medication to what is called a biosimilar. We want to explain what that means and why it is not a cause for concern.
Many of the specialty medications used to treat conditions like arthritis, Crohn’s disease, and certain cancers are called biologics. A biosimilar is a medication that has been rigorously tested and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to work in the same way as the original biologic, with the same level of safety and effectiveness. Think of it as similar to how a generic drug works like its brand-name counterpart, though biosimilars go through an even more thorough review process. Biologic medications are complex molecules, so unlike a generic medication, biosimilars very closely resemble, but are not identical to, the brand-name medication.
The FDA only approves a biosimilar after confirming there are no meaningful differences in how it works or how your body responds to it. Your clinical outcomes, meaning how well you feel and how your condition is controlled, are expected to be the same.
When a biosimilar is available for your medication, the MID will 1. notify your prescribing physician in advance that we may automatically substitute it unless the prescriber indicates otherwise, 2. monitor your response to any medication change, and 3. always remain available to address any concerns you have.
We understand that changes to your medications and how they are managed can feel uncertain. Please know that your health and comfort remain our priority. If you have any questions about these changes, your MID and pharmacy options, or biosimilar medications, our team is happy to speak with you.