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Committee approves $5.79 million TDOC pharmacy addendum after requests for data
Summary
The Fiscal Review committee approved a one-year participating addendum with Clinical Solutions for TDOC pharmacy services ($5,790,343) but members pressed the department for a breakdown of the roughly 40% increase and asked for multi-year demographic and utilization data at the next meeting.
Ashley Fuqua, legislative director for the Department of Correction, presented a one-year renewal under the MCAP cooperative purchasing agreement to allow Clinical Solutions to operate the on-site pharmacy at the Berry special needs facility and to package and ship pharmaceuticals to other TDOC facilities. The addendum extends the agreement to 09/30/2026 and sets a maximum liability of $5,790,343.
"Through the MCAP agreement, Tennessee joins the other 49 states purchasing power," Fuqua said, describing the procurement vehicle and the services Clinical Solutions will provide. Representative Bricken questioned the size of the increase, calling it "about a 40% increase" and said she would not support approval without a further breakdown. Fuqua and committee members discussed rising health-care costs, mental-health caseloads and higher‑cost prescriptions (including treatment for hepatitis C) as possible drivers.
Committee leaders agreed to have the department return with more detailed statistics and a five-year demographic and utilization analysis to explain cost drivers. The committee approved the contract by voice vote with the department’s agreement to provide the requested follow-up data.
