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By Robert F. Steeves WASHIINGTON 0  The Medicaid mess: Relief may be in sight for pharmacists around the country who have felt the brunt of aclministrative confusion and pay- ment delay in the 'Meclicaicl prugrams, At least, the Federal ge>.-ernment will seek to stimulate tleclicaicl officials to > consider mc>re efficient and ef- fective administraticro systems at little cust to> themselve.n. The Social tiecuritv Amendntents of 1970, ppassed by the House of Ilepresentatire; ancl now pending before the Senate, contains a provision t section 232 1which raises the Federal matchinr formula to 90 per cent of mmneY expended for "the design, de.•elopment, or installation of such mechanizecl claims 1>ru:eti,ing and infrrrmaticm retrieval system, as the Secretary t of H 1:W ) determines are lil:ely to provide mure efficient. ecunomical, and etfective aclministratiun of the plan ..." The bill goes on to provide Federal ma.tching funds ul, to 77 per cent of the costs of the ongc>ing operati,,n uf the system. Presently, the 'Meclicaicl administration costs are paid on a 50 '50 basis by the Federal anct State gt>vernttient. The availability of increasecl ftmdt. shuulcl be attractive to thianr states. tJenerally, claims for pharmaceuti- cal services are responsible for tnure than 00 per cent of all Meclicaicl claims. Drug clainis rel>resent the single largest aclministrative burden in thf>se 'Meclicaicl lart>gram., with clrtt~; cc>.-erage and thus will lie the first area to be considered ii the new prc>xisic,n becomets law. The rel>()rt of the Cnnitnittee r>n \\'ay• and Means of the Ho>use of Kel>- re-,entative, lx>intet] out : "N1any Statr- do not ha~e effrttkr ... It is expected that this financial claims administration or wrll- and technical eupport will aid thr designed information etorafe and State- in realizinl~ efficient and retrie\al system.. nor d,, theN effective administratic,n of the pn- po~se=s the financial an l technical pram. and that it tiill reduce pr,-- resource- to devel(,p them if re- gram costs." quired to dc so by the Secretary. Also included in the proposed section is a reqttirement that the systenn "be comhatible with the claims processing ancl information retrieval sys- tents utilized in the aclministratit>n of title X\']II ( Meclicare )". Medicare cTc>e, tut+t 1ta.e a ite>Rttle lt.;dtiertn rfirta,g lroeytetit; lnut Thiis, trt!a1. 4u};,};,es,t that arl- n7ini,~tratice s%stcm, cletielulrecl for \leclirticl nnay later be utilized in acl- ministering a Meclicare drug benefit'. New approach: The proposed Social Security bill provision also prc>- .-icles for the situation where mc>rr than one State 'Meclicaicl program v.•oulcl utilize the satue s\stem-an approach that heretofore has not been considered. Sonte question,, remain. Meclicaicl officials in some states that I have visitecl with are not certain whether the\- can mechanize the clrug claims only-their biggest problem-anrl still qualify for the additional fun<1- ing. The view nuxv is that a state may have to atuomtate all claims or at least plan to atttr>ntate all claims beft>re the additional fmicls would be available. The application of the 1>rovision can still be clarified dnring Senate con- sideration. I>harmac}• c>ul;ht to see tn it that the nteaninl; of the 1>n>rision unmistakably 1>ermits automaticrn of the drug clainis portion, or another part, of the administrati.•e process to qualify under its ternt.,.  Robert F. Steeres, pharmacist and attornr,r, is rire-president of 1'harmareuural Card System, Inc., a prescription payment service. Formerly director of the APhA legal diuision, he ho/ds Juris Doctor and Master o,l Lau, degrees /rcm Georgetown I nit~ersith. ~ I AMERICAN DRUGGIST • Sep,ember 7. 197C ~.. Cl.y. New profit centers in your store. You know that old expression, "There's never too much of a good thing." Well, that's just as true in your business as in anything else; it always pays to keep pushing a winner. In this case, the winner is pHisoHex"-a proven best seller even when it's stocked in out-of-the-way locations. But what if you displayed it prominently? In the baby-care section, for example; or with first- aids, with complexion-care products, or with deodorant cl;eansers?' You wouEd be buiYding big new profit centers for pHisoHex ... to multiply the volume you did before! In any event, we think, it's a sure four-to-one bet you won't lose a cent. So go ahead; push the big winner into these other high traffic locations. pHisoHex has nowhere to go but up! The No. 1 medicated skin care product in your store.

for a limited time only- August 31 through October 31,1970 5% profit Don't miss the opportunity to recommend this effective and safe O.T.C. product for control of • nausea and upset stomach • epidemic vomiting • motion sickness 1 Bottle Free with 11 Deal Price* Deal 1 Bottle Free with 11 (3oz.) $10.56 Retail Value $19.20 PROFIT $8.64 •Suggested price trom wholesaler to retailer, ii I Pii, II ' WILLIAM H. RORER, INC. Fort WiashiingtornJ Pa.19034i; 14 • Interpre/tng /he News AMERICAN DRUGGIST • Septembe, 7. 197C