ARLINGTON, Va. — The National Association of Chain Drug Stores and the National Community Pharmacists Association have made some headway in their push to rein in pharmacy co-payments for TRICARE, the U.S. armed forces health benefits program.

NACDS reported this week that, because of its advocacy efforts with NCPA, the House Armed Services Committee excluded a proposal by the administration to raise TRICARE pharmacy co-pays as part of the Fiscal 2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

Last month, NACDS and NCPA announced that they submitted joint letters to House Armed Services Committee leaders urging them to reject increases in beneficiary co-pays to retail community pharmacies, saying it would impact pharmacy access.

In the NDAA, the House Armed Services Committee also included NACDS-backed language for the creation of a TRICARE acquisition cost-parity pilot program for retail pharmacy, which would enable retail pharmacies in the TRICARE network to access Department of Defense drug pricing, according to NACDS. Such a move would give TRICARE beneficiaries more choice in how they get their medicines, NACDS noted.

The full House of Representatives is slated to consider the FY2017 NDAA in mid-May. NACDS added that it will keep working with stakeholders as the Senate reviews the NDAA and the bill is brought to conference.