CHENANGO COUNTY – A number of employees at various school districts in Chenango County will be negatively affected by a mandatory change in prescription medication coverage effective July 1, says Heather Bartle of Bartle's Pharmacy, Inc. in Oxford.

Beginning on July 1, Bartle says employees at school districts that provide prescription coverage through NY44 Health Trust and their dependants will no longer be permitted to fill long-term medications at local pharmacies––instead, they will be required to have them mail-ordered.

"[NY44 Health Trust] has issued a notification that as of July 1, all of the active employees and their dependants at these school districts will be required to use their choice of two mail-order companies––or else their prescriptions aren't covered," said Bartle.

Of the 55 school districts in New York State that receive insurance through NY44 Health Trust, six are located in Chenango County: DCMO BOCES, Oxford Academy and Central Schools, Norwich City Schools, Bainbridge-Guilford Central School, Gilbertsville-Mount Upton Central School, and Otselic Valley Central School.

Consequently, a number of families will no longer be able to support area-pharmacies by acquiring their long-term prescription medications locally beginning on Saturday of this week, says Bartle.