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Oklahoma County reports about $100,000 in first-month county pharmacy volume; officials expect growth
Summary
County staff told commissioners the new county pharmacy processed roughly $100,000 in prescription sales in its first month, with officials aiming to expand volume and secure manufacturer discounts after six months of steady revenue.
Oklahoma County staff told the Board of County Commissioners on March 10, 2025, that the county-operated pharmacy processed about $100,000 in prescription drug sales in its first month and that leaders hope to grow that volume substantially over the next year.
The county pharmacy update, delivered during the budget-review meeting, matters because higher sustained volume could give the county access to lower manufacturer prices and reduce prescription costs for county-run programs.
County staff reported that overall medical expenditures are running “2% under” year-to-date and noted a roughly $240,000 difference when compared with the same point in the prior fiscal year. On prescriptions, a staff member said prescription client volume was up “just a little bit, 3%” and summarized the new pharmacy’s early performance: “we processed about a hundred thousand dollar prescription drugs our first month.”
The presenter said the county is still in the early stage of the pharmacy program, with only one month of data, but that the operation has “been keeping the pharmacy very busy.” Staff forecasted a target of roughly tripling monthly prescription volume within 12 months if demand and contracting milestones permit. The presenter said that reaching six months of sustained business is often a manufacturer requirement to qualify for deeper pricing discounts on certain high-cost drugs: “Most of the big manufacturers require checking in business 6 months to produce x amount of dollars in revenue.”
Officials noted specific drug classes where price differences can be large; the presenter observed some branded GLP-1 medicines can have per-prescription price differences of around $300 and that those drugs are a priority for future direct purchasing discounts. “On some of those drugs, we’re talking about $300 price difference per drug,” the staff member said.
Staff also said several operational options are in place to handle increased prescription volume without immediate new hires, including part-time pharmacists on call and contingencies to maintain service during peak demand. The county pharmacy currently offers curbside pickup and a mail option; staff said customers can request full mail delivery and that staff will deliver prescriptions to vehicles when security screening would otherwise be required.
Commissioners did not take formal action on the pharmacy update during the meeting; staff said the item was an informational update in advance of upcoming budget review and BOCC presentations.
County staff indicated they will continue to monitor volumes and report back as the pharmacy reaches additional monthly and six-month revenue milestones.
