Bronx pharmacy faces COVID setbacks
Owner of Pelham Bay pharmacy discusses challenges during global pandemic
BY JASON COHEN
Situated under the Buhre
Avenue stop for the 6 train is
a large sign that illuminate
the word “Drugs.” This is the
home of Pilgrim Pharmacy,
which Ray Macioci has operated
for 44 years.
Macioci, a past board
chairman of the Pharmacists
Society State of New York,
has worked in the pharmacy
industry since the age of 14.
His fi rst job was in Belmont at
Mount Carmel Pharmacy.
Even though pharmacies
were deemed essential and he
has been open throughout the
pandemic, he told the Bronx
Times that the experience has
not been easy.
“It’s been challenging to
say the least,” he said. “I can’t
praise my staff as much as
they deserve to be praised.”
Macioci, 71, said this has
been one of the most diffi -
cult times in his long career.
Knowing that the safety of
his employees and customers
are of utmost importance, he
adapted.
When the coronavirus arrived
in late February early
March he took action. He put
up Plexiglass barriers at the
register, made sure all employees
always wore gloves
and face masks, handed out
gloves and masks to customers,
stopped selling lotto
tickets, encouraged customers
to call in orders for their
prescriptions, did curb side
pickup for medicine and has
even been using DoorDash to
have medicine delivered.
Pilgrim also has a courier
service that brings medicine
to people.
“It’s a diffi cult situation
with these folks getting to
the pharmacy,” he explained,
adding that despite being an
essential business, there has
been less foot traffi c over the
past few months.
According to Macioci,
fewer people are seeing their
physicians right now, so there
are not as many prescriptions
being written.
The past fi ve months defi -
nitely have not been a “picnic,”
he said. He cut store
hours, received fi nancial assistance
BRONX TIMES REPORTER,8 AUGUST 14-20, 2020 BTR
from the government
and feels fortunate to be
afl oat. Macioci noted seeing
the restaurants shuttered and
numerous businesses forced
to close is heartbreaking.
“You try to your best,” he
explained. “This isn’t going to
end anytime soon.”
Macioci explained another
challenge is dealing with the
unregulated Pharmacy Benefi
t Management industry.
Health care providers have
been struggling for years at
the hands of powerful prescription
drug middlemen
and COVID-19 has accelerated
their demise.
Pharmacists have been
fi lling high volumes of prescriptions
at a loss and providing
free delivery and other
costly-but-essential services
to their patients, raising concerns
that many pharmacies
won’t survive the pandemic.
In the fi nal days of 2019, Governor
Andrew Cuomo vetoed
a bill described as the “nation’s
toughest crackdown” on
Rx middlemen after it passed
the New York State Legislature
Ray Macioci has operated Pilgrim Pharmacy for 44 years
with overwhelming bipartisan
support.
“It’s been challenging over
the past 10 or 15 years with
the PBM industry,” he commented.
“It’s something the
state needs to reign in. The
PBM’s have been ripping the
state off for a lot of money.”
As Macioci looks ahead, he
and his staff will continue to
do their jobs and provide services
for the community.
“We’re in the business
of taking care of people,”
he stressed. “If a pharmacy
closes suddenly then the folks
that went there, where are
they going to get their medicine?”
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