All UK HealthCare pharmacies in Lexington will no longer accept cash starting Feb. 1.

Besides credit and debit cards, alternative forms of payment such as Google Pay and Apple Pay will continue to be accepted, according to Dan Grantz, senior director for retail pharmacies.

Grantz said that if a client is unable to pay electronically, receiving a bill in the mail is also an option. Cashier’s checks are valid forms of payment if cash is the only option.

UK North Fork Valley Community Health Center and UK June Buchanan Medical Clinic will continue to accept cash, Grantz said.

According to Grantz, the decision to go cashless was due to multiple compounding inconveniences, including the ceased manufacture of pennies and concerns of dirty cash spreading disease within the pharmacies. 

These concerns initially arose during the 2020 pandemic.

“You’re sick, you’re coming to a pharmacy, if you’re handing us dirty cash, when we touch that cash, we have to put it in the register. You touch the pen that you use to sign, it’s an easy way to transmit disease.” Grantz said.

In response, the UK Clinics held a no-cash policy, but only for six months.

In August 2023, a new electronic health record system was introduced to the clinics. Grantz said this system was “not the most user-friendly for point of sale.”

According to Grantz, the retail pharmacies are transitioning to a new system in March. In anticipation of this and in combination with the previously mentioned factors, the directors decided to go cashless before the new system is implemented.

Grantz believes this new policy won’t create any accessibility issues, as UK HealthCare has multiple indigent care programs to support patients. 

He also noted that many elderly patients who use cash have caretakers who pick up their medications for them and pay using alternative methods.

Grantz said the clinics will attempt to reduce patients’ copays when possible.

“We do our best to try to lower the cost of goods for our patients as much as we can,” Grantz said.