Patent ID: 8370173

Claim:
A computer system to manage replenishment of medications loaned to a covered entity by a plurality of independent contract pharmacies providing services to patients of the covered entity, the plurality of independent contract pharmacies dispensing medication units from a common inventory to, patients who do not qualify to receive discounted medication units under the regulatory scheme of the covered entity, and covered patients of the covered entity who qualify to receive discounted medication units under the regulatory scheme of the covered entity, wherein medication units dispensed to the covered patients are to be replenished by the covered entity, and wherein the dispensed medication units are associated with a national drug code (“NDC”); wherein the covered entity is entitled to purchase discounted medication for covered patients under a regulatory scheme, and wherein the independent contract pharmacies are not entitled to purchase discounted medication units under the regulatory scheme, the system comprising: a central managing service in communication with each of the independent contract pharmacies, comprising: a processor; an output device in electrical communication with the processor; and a monitoring module component operating on the processor to perform the method of, identifying an amount of medication units of the NDC dispensed from a respective common inventory by each of the plurality of independent contract pharmacies to covered patients of the covered entity, wherein the covered entity is to replenish the identified medication units; calculating a combined amount of medication units of the NDC dispensed across the plurality of independent contract pharmacies by summing together the amount of medication units of the NDC dispensed to the covered patients by each of the plurality of independent contract pharmacies, wherein the combined amount of medication units is to be replenished by the covered entity; determining when the combined amount of medication units reaches a replenishment threshold, wherein the replenishment threshold is based on the NDC of the identified medication units; and upon the combined amount reaching the replenishment threshold, replenishing the identified medication units by, purchasing a discounted replacement container of medication units corresponding to the NDC under the regulatory scheme of the covered entity, the replacement container comprising medication units to replenish the combined amount of identified medication units dispensed to covered patients across the plurality of independent contract pharmacies, and transferring ownership of the replacement container to the independent contract pharmacies.