New, exciting trends are emerging in community pharmacy practice, but what’s past is still prologue. Sal D’Angelo, a past president of the National Community Pharmacists Association/National Association of Retail Druggists, was the first person I heard say, “Get into politics or get out of pharmacy.” Sal spoke those words a long time ago, and he
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The National Community Pharmacists Association on Monday released the following statement on behalf of CEO B. Douglas Hoey in response to a federal court ruling clearing the way for insurance giant UnitedHealthcare to acquire medical data firm Change Healthcare: “We would like to thank the Department of Justice for meeting with us,
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Pharmacists who believe they are acting in good faith in accordance with their state’s laws on abortion shouldn’t be left without a clear pathway forward in response to new guidance by the federal Department of Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights, said the National Community Pharmacists Association. “States have provided very
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The National Community Pharmacists Association is hailing a move by the Federal Trade Commission to proceed with a 6(b) study of pharmacy benefit managers and anticompetitive business practices. After the commission in February split 2-2 on a proposal to launch a formal study into PBMs, FTC Chair Lina Khan pledged to call for another
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – In comments submitted today, National Community Pharmacists Association CEO B. Douglas Hoey said independent pharmacy has strong concerns about the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ proposed Medicare Part D rule, which includes the latest efforts of the agency to lower out of pocket drug costs for patients and address pharmacy direct
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Pharmacists across the country are having a difficult time keeping up with the surging demand for at-home COVID-19 tests, according to a new survey by the National Community Pharmacists Association. “COVID-19 has caused shortages throughout the economy, but this is acute,” said NCPA CEO B. Douglas Hoey. “Community pharmacists are the first line of
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The National Community Pharmacists Association issued the following statement today on behalf of CEO B. Douglas Hoey in response to a proposed Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services rule posted this afternoon that would finally bring under control so-called pharmacy direct and indirect remuneration fees: “This is an encouraging development. We are grateful
One positive result of the coronavirus pandemic is that it has forever changed the consumer’s view of pharmacy. Of course, the evolving perception of the role of the pharmacist was already very much in progress. But the pandemic propelled it forward in ways that will have some radical effects on the business model of community
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The National Community Pharmacists Association is supporting pharmacists in New York as they call for Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) to enact three bills in the Pharmacy Rescue Package and protect patient access to local pharmacy care. The bills have been sitting on Hochul’s desk for several months after the package was passed
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The National Community Pharmacists Association is proud to support the Drug Price Transparency in Medicaid Act of 2021, which would ban the use of spread pricing by pharmacy benefit managers in Medicaid managed care, require PBMs to reimburse pharmacies at a rate consistent with their acquisition plus a professional dispensing fee, and limit PBMs
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A new survey of independent pharmacists released by the National Community Pharmacists Association finds that while the majority of independent pharmacy owners/managers are struggling to fill staff positions and deal with supply chain disruptions, market pressures like pharmacy benefit manager direct and indirect remuneration fees and vertical integration continue to be their
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Ahead of expected congressional action on government spending legislation, the National Community Pharmacists Association is expressing disappointment that the House version of the reconciliation bill leaves out provisions to eliminate pharmacy benefit manager retroactive Medicare Part D pharmacy direct and indirect remuneration fees and PBM spread pricing games in Medicaid managed care
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — In addition to submitting its own comments to the Federal Trade Commission about anticompetitive pharmacy benefit manager contracting practices, the National Community Pharmacists Association encouraged independent pharmacy advocates to also submit comments with specific examples of contractual issues and the harm they cause to patients and neighborhood pharmacies. More than 3,000 advocate comments
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The vertical mergers of health insurance plans/pharmacy benefit managers with retail and mail order pharmacies is a “particularly pernicious example of consolidation that has resulted in substantial actual harm to competition,” the National Community Pharmacists Association said in comments to the Federal Trade Commission about contract terms that may exacerbate or lock
