New pharmacy dispensing policy

  • Published
KADENA AB, Japan --  Officials at U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa and 18th Medical Group at Kadena Air Base have announced a new pharmacy dispensing policy regarding "over-the-counter" medications to pay patients. 

Effective October 15, 2007, military medical treatment facilities in Okinawa will no longer dispense over-the-counter medications to non-TRICARE beneficiaries.

"This policy change is mandated by TRICARE Uniform Business Office," said Maj. Nejad Sohrab, 18 Diagnostic & Therapeutics Flight Commander.  "The policy change does not affect TRICARE beneficiaries."

The new policy, mandated for military medical treatment facilities by the TRICARE Management Activity, will only impact "pay patients," or patients covered under private, non-military insurance plans such as DoDDS personnel, contractors, and other federal employees that are not covered under TRICARE. 

Over-the-counter medications are items that people can purchase off the shelf without a
prescription at department stores, supermarkets, and retail pharmacies. Naval Hospital and 18th Medical Group Pharmacy officials have been working with Okinawa Exchange and Commissary management to ensure that over-the-counter medications are available to the pay patients through Exchanges and Commissaries. 

However, some items that are normally sold over-the-counter at civilian pharmacies in the U.S. but not by military exchanges or commissaries, such as diabetic supplies, will still be available by prescription at military treatment facilities in Okinawa.
Medications and medical supplies requiring a doctor's prescription will still be available for pay patients at military pharmacies in Okinawa. 

Pay patients who are not sure if their current prescribed medicines are affected by the new over-the-counter drug policy can ask their Primary Care Provider, the Collections Office, or pharmacy staff for more information. This change does not affect military members, retirees, their family members, or others covered under TRICARE.