WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act (H.R. 6), which will require electronic prescribing (e-prescribing) for controlled substances in Medicare. This is a significant step in the fight against America’s opioid epidemic, the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) said. “This will save lives and reduce fraud by
WASHINGTON — Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) president and chief executive officer Mark Merritt released the following statement on S. 2554, the Patient Right to Know Drug Prices Act, scheduled to be marked up tomorrow in the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP): “PCMA strongly supports S. 2554, legislation that will ensure America’s
WASHINGTON — Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) president and chief executive officer Mark Merritt released the following statement today on the Administration’s Blueprint on drug pricing: “We are encouraged that the Administration’s Blueprint raises several proposals that would increase the use of pharmacy benefit management (PBM) tools to reduce costs in public programs. We support using PBM tools
WASHINGTON — Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) president and chief executive officer Mark Merritt released the following statement on reports of yet another round of massive price hikes by drug manufacturers. “News of recent price increases by drugmakers further confirms that the easiest way to lower costs would be for drug companies to lower their prices.” This
WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a legislative package, SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act (H.R. 6), which requires electronic prescribing (e-prescribing) of controlled substances in Medicare. “This is an important step in the fight against America’s opioid epidemic,” the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) said. E-prescribing of controlled substances ensures each prescription
WASHINGTON — The Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) released the following statement on a Medicare Part D report released by the Office of Inspector (OIG), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS): “This report finally debunks the myth that drugmakers have somehow been compelled to raise prices because of the discounts and rebates health plans
WASHINGTON — After 15 years of heading up the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA), chief executive officer and president Mark Merritt is stepping down, effective at year-end. Under Merritt’s leadership, PCMA grew from an obscure group into the nation’s leading voice on prescription drug benefits. One of his first missions was to help shape the bill
WASHINGTON — Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) president and chief executive officer Mark Merritt released the following statement on the Medicare Part D final rule released this week by the Department of Health and Human Services: “Two years ago drugmakers launched a campaign to deflect blame for their high prices onto health plans and pharmacy benefit
At a health subcommittee hearing of the U.S. House of Representatives Energy & Commerce Committee, B. Douglas Hoey, CEO of the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA), called for legislative and regulatory action on pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) business practices to help rein in prescription drug costs. The hearing, titled “Examining the Drug Supply Chain”
WASHINGTON — Pharmacy benefit managers are a key focus of debate about elevated drug pricing that has come before a U.S. Senate committee. The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) and the Senior Care Pharmacy Coalition (SCPC) called for PBM reform in written testimony submitted to a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee hearing
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The National Community Pharmacists Association and the Arkansas Pharmacists Association (APA) have filed an amici curiae brief in federal court against a challenge by the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA). NCPA said the brief, filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, supports Arkansas in a lawsuit initiated by
A lobbying event in Washington has triggered salvoes between two combatants: independent community pharmacies and pharmacy benefit managers. The National Community Pharmacists Association is holding its Congressional Pharmacy Fly-In advocacy drive this week, where it will also release “The PBM Story: What They Say, What They Do, and What Can Be Done About It,” offered
A half-dozen congressmen pointed a finger at pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) on the floor of the House of Representatives last week in an hour of comments on the high cost of prescriptions drugs, the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) said in its Executive Update e-newsletter. In the session, Reps. Doug Collins (R., Ga.), Brian Babin
With high prescription drug costs a pillar of the national debate on health care, the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) is trying to shed some light on drug pricing. The Washington, D.C.-based PBM trade group on Wednesday released a video titled, “What is drug price transparency?”. PCMA said the goal is to show how transparency
