WASHINGTON – More than 240 patient advocates and healthcare entities on Friday urged Congressional leaders to act now on a key reform to lower patients’ prescription drug prices at the pharmacy counter and to help prevent pharmacy closures that jeopardize access for vulnerable Americans. “Members of Congress should not overlook the clear and present opportunity to
A new report on the cost of dispensing prescription medications brings into sharp focus the difficult economic challenges faced by retail pharmacy operators. It should come as no surprise that the study — conducted by Abt Associates and the MPI Group for the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, the National Community Pharmacists Association and
ARLINGTON, Va. – Morning Consult Wednesday published an op-ed by NACDS president and chief executive officer Steven Anderson that tells Congress just how critical it is for the wellbeing of patients and pharmacies to enact relief from direct and indirect remuneration (DIR) fees. “A simple truth is emerging about the complex topic known as pharmacy DIR fees: they
ARLINGTON, Va. – The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) is welcoming the strongest signal yet by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that a standardized pharmacy quality program should be created to help reduce patients’ out-of-pocket drug costs and to help patients maintain critical access to their pharmacies. Currently, quality measures
The new year will be a time of testing for drug stores, as a confluence of forces call into question their function in the marketplace and long-term viability. At the same time that the economics of health care continue to weigh heavily on pharmacy margins, drug store operators must learn how to compete more effectively
The nation’s independent pharmacies are under severe stress and, unless the economic conditions in which they operate change dramatically, many of them could begin to disappear from the scene. That sobering conclusion stems from a new report by the National Community Pharmacists Association, which not only sounds the alarm about the uncertain prospects for that
ARLINGTON, Va. — On a strong bipartisan basis, the chairman, ranking member, and an overwhelming majority of the Senate Finance Committee have asked the Trump Administration to do its part to close a Medicare regulation loophole – known as pharmacy direct and indirect remuneration (DIR) fees – that inflates patients’ out-of-pocket drug costs and that
Titration. In chemistry, it’s adding a reactant to a solution until a chemical reaction is achieved. The titration process might take numerous drops of reactant before its concentration is high enough to observe a noticeable change. That chemical reaction is an apropos analogy for the current misaligned pharmacy payment model and its pathway to change.
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — In print ads Tuesday in the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal, the National Community Pharmacists Association is urging policymakers to rein in pharmacy benefit managers to help lower drug costs. These ads complement NCPA’s ongoing efforts in its years-long campaign to reform pharmacy direct and indirect remuneration (DIR) fees, a
ARLINGTON, Va. – Pharmacy “DIR fees” that have exploded by 45,000 percent from 2010 to 2017 are inflating seniors’ out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs and forcing pharmacies out of business. These pharmacy “direct and indirect remuneration” (DIR) fees must be addressed in drug-pricing legislation. That message about DIR fees is the subject of a new cable, broadcast and
WASHINGTON — Nearly a quarter of the House of Representatives – 105 members – has sent a letter to President Donald Trump noting the “missed opportunity” to reduce seniors’ out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs. This missed opportunity occurred when pharmacy direct and indirect remuneration (DIR) fee reform was excluded from a recent Medicare rule. The legislators,
ARLINGTON, Va. – In a statement to the Senate Finance Committee Thursday, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores stressed the importance of finalizing Health and Human Services (HHS) secretary Alex Azar’s proposals to reform pharmacy direct and indirect remuneration (DIR) fees, and of developing a standardized pharmacy quality incentive program. “The FY2020 HHS Budget
The National Association of Chain Drug Stores was at the top of its game during the Regional Chain Conference in Palm Beach, Fla., earlier this month. Often overshadowed by the association’s larger events, this hidden gem provides attendees with an initial look at the objectives that NACDS and its members will pursue during the course
DIR (direct and indirect remuneration) fees are increasing — creating greater and greater financial challenges for retail pharmacies. In the second quarter of 2018, DIR accounted for 1.13% of sales and, year-to-date, it is trending at 1% of sales. For the same period last year, DIR was running at 0.9% of sales. On top of