Final answer:
Pharmacists are required to provide price information for prescription drugs over the phone upon request. This practice is crucial for transparency and patient care, particularly for the elderly who might be on Medicare, which affects prescription drug pricing.
Step-by-step explanation:
Upon request, a pharmacist is required to give usual and customary price information for a prescription drug to a customer over the phone. Pharmacists hold an essential role in healthcare, especially when it comes to advising patients about their medications, which includes information about medication costs. For example, a pharmacist and elderly patient interaction may cover various topics including medication management and the price of medications covered or not covered by Medicare.
In the context of public health and economics, the introduction of Medicare prescription benefits stands out as it has greatly affected the pricing and access to prescription drugs. Although it has been commended as an important public health improvement, it has faced critique for its associated high costs, substantial overhead, and its potential inflationary influence on the cost of prescription drugs.