DUBLIN, Ohio — Cardinal Health said it is offering independent pharmacies a pharmacy-centered approach to preferred access to Medicare Part D networks to help them overcome “reimbursement pressures” in 2017.

“Cardinal Health balances access and economics with the only advisory panel of pharmacy owners in the industry,” the company said in a statement last month.

“Independent pharmacies no longer need to have preferred access to every Medicare Part D plan, only the plans that economically make sense for them,” said Elie Bahou, vice president of managed care and business development at Cardinal Health. “We rely on our managed care advisory panel of independent pharmacy owners to select plans that make the most sense for our network. Network decisions are made by pharmacy owners for pharmacy owners.”

The advisory panel is a group of independent pharmacy owners and network members utilizing industry-leading data analytics for a 360-degree review of all of the proposed contracts for Cardinal Health, the company noted.

“As reimbursement pressures continue, it is essential for us to continue to fight for our pharmacies and focus on their needs,” Bahou said. “Cardinal Health is the only Pharmacy Services Administrative Organization (PSAO) to have an advisory panel of independent pharmacy owners as decision makers on preferred access. The access our panel has accepted for 2017 will put our network of pharmacies in a position to succeed.”

Cardinal Health also said it partnered with Jason Kizer of Kizer Pharmacy in Tennessee to share best practices in advising patients during open enrollment, which runs from October 15 to December 7.