Importance

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Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention may allow for customer discount programs to be implemented for cash customers at one or more pharmacies. In particular, the customer discount programs may be implemented using switch-level transactions between one or more pharmacies and at least one switch provider, and without involvement of PBMs or other third-party payors. Under the customer discount programs, cash customers can be provided with discounts on prescription drug orders without lowering a pharmacy's usual and customary (U&C) prices or other prices upon which third-party reimbursement rates are based. Accordingly, the customer discount programs allow pharmacies to provide discounts to cash customers while maintaining their reimbursement rates on third party-contracts. Additionally, pharmacies that partner with a switch provider in providing these customer discount programs may be provided with rebates from the switch, which may offset at least a portion of the discounts provided to the cash customers. Therefore, embodiments of the present invention may involve receiving a prescription drug order associated with a cash customer from a pharmacy computer and applying program rules to the prescription drug order to determine a discount for the prescription drug order, where the program rules are associated with the customer discount program, determining a discounted price for the prescription drug order based at least in part on the determined discount, and transmitting the discounted price to the pharmacy computer.

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First Claim