May 9, 2017 by Shannon Cox, Stephen Cummings and Chain Drug Review
DIR fees, direct and indirect remuneration, H.R. 1038, King & Spalding, Medicare Part D, S. 413, Shannon Cox, Stephen Cummings, the Improving Transparency and Accuracy in Medicare Part D Drug Spending Act
Opinion
Direct and indirect remuneration (DIR) is one component of the complex Medicare Part D payment system. In the past several months, the issue of DIR increasingly has become a source of contention between various players in the Part D program. Pharmacies, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and members of Congress have expressed
February 16, 2017 by Chain Drug Review
B. Douglas Hoey, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Community Oncology Alliance, CVS Health, DIR fees, direct and indirect remuneration, H.R. 1038, Improving Transparency and Accuracy in Medicare Part D Spending Act, Medicare Part D, Morgan Griffith, National Community Pharmacists Association, PBM industry, Peter Welch, Pharmaceutical Care Management Association
Featured Articles, Leading Headlines, Pharmacy, Retail News
WASHINGTON — Reps. Morgan Griffith (R., Va.) and Peter Welch (D., Vt.) have reintroduced the Improving Transparency and Accuracy in Medicare Part D Spending Act (H.R. 1038), which community pharmacies say would squelch a growing burden: retroactive direct and indirect remuneration (DIR) fees. The bill, introduced Wednesday in the House of Representatives, would ban the application
January 10, 2017 by Chain Drug Review
eHealth, Medicare Part D, video, Walgreens
Videos
Competition for Medicare Part D prescription market share remains stiff among large pharmacy retailers. One of the ways that chains are winning over seniors — besides being in preferred pharmacy networks — is by providing them with lots of assistance as they navigate the maze of Part D prescription drug benefit plans and terms. To
January 4, 2017 by Chain Drug Review
Flaviu Simihaian, Heather Storey, iMedicare, Lewis Drug, Medicare Part D
Leading Headlines, Pharmacy, Retail News, Technology
NEW YORK — Regional pharmacy chain Lewis Drug is implementing iMedicare, a service that helps patients make more informed decisions when choosing a Medicare Advantage or Medicare Part D plan. Plans call for Lewis Drug to integrate the iMedicare decision-automation platform into the pharmacy systems at its 45 drug stores in South Dakota, Iowa and
November 23, 2016 by Chain Drug Review
health insurance, Kmart pharmacist, Kmart Pharmacy, Medicare Part D, Phil Keough, prescription drug plans, Sears Holdings
Leading Headlines, Pharmacy, Retail News
HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Kmart Pharmacy is making a pitch to seniors by spotlighting its status as a preferred pharmacy in a range of Medicare Part D plans. The Sears Holdings Corp. unit said many Medicare Part D members can now turn to Kmart Pharmacy as their 2017 preferred provider and get sizable savings, including
October 24, 2016 by John Schultz and Chain Drug Review
AARP MedicareRx Walgreens, Brad Fluegel, CVS Health, CVS Pharmacy, Kent Monical, Kevin Hourican, Medicare Part D, Medicare Part D prescription drug plans, pharmacy retailers, SilverScript Insurance, Todd Meek, UnitedHealthcare, Walgreens
2016, Issue 10-24-2016, Issues, News
NEW YORK — Pharmacy retailers are busy informing the public about Medicare Part D prescription drug plans (PDPs). Enrollment for the 2017 plan year began October 15 and extends through December 7. For example, CVS Pharmacy is offering an extensive array of in-store and online resources to assist senior patients in determining the best 2017
October 21, 2016 by Chain Drug Review
Jocelyn Konrad, Medicare Part D, prescription drug benefits, Rite Aid, Rite Aid’s Medicare Advisor
Leading Headlines, Pharmacy, Retail News
CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid Corp. is offering assistance to seniors as the open enrollment period for Medicare Part D prescription drug benefits is now under way. Rite Aid said Friday that through Dec. 7, its nearly 4,600 pharmacies are providing free resources to help seniors choose a Part D prescription drug plan or
October 17, 2016 by Chain Drug Review
CVS Health, CVS Pharmacy, Kevin Hourican, Medicare Part D, Medicare Part D open enrollment, Medicare prescription drug plan, prescription drug coverage, SilverScript Insurance Co., Todd Meek
Leading Headlines, Pharmacy, Retail News
WOONSOCKET, R.I. — With open enrollment for Medicare Part D kicking off over the weekend, CVS Pharmacy has begun offering in-store and online resources to help seniors select prescription drug coverage for the 2017 plan year. CVS is providing access to information about local and national Part D plans in English and Spanish all of
October 10, 2016 by Mark Baumgartner and Chain Drug Review
Cardinal Health, Elie Bahou, Jason Kizer, Kizer Pharmacy, Medicare Part D
2016, Issue 10-10-2016, Issues, News
DUBLIN, Ohio — Cardinal Health said it is offering independent pharmacies a pharmacy-centered approach to preferred access to Medicare Part D networks to help them overcome “reimbursement pressures” in 2017. “Cardinal Health balances access and economics with the only advisory panel of pharmacy owners in the industry,” the company said in a statement last month.
September 27, 2016 by Chain Drug Review
DIR fees, direct and indirect remuneration fees, H.R. 5951, Medicare Part D, National Community Pharmacists Association, NCPA, S. 3308
Featured Articles, Leading Headlines, Retail News
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — A group of 99 pharmacy retailers, suppliers and organizations applauded House and Senate lawmakers for introducing legislation to clamp down on retroactive direct and indirect remuneration fees imposed by pharmacy benefit managers in Medicare Part D. The National Community Pharmacists Association said the pharmacy stakeholders on Monday wrote letters to the House
June 22, 2016 by Chain Drug Review
B. Douglas Hoey, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMS, DIR fees, Medicare Part D, National Community Pharmacists Association, NCPA
Leading Headlines, Pharmacy, Retail News
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Nearly 50 members of Congress have called on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to finalize its proposed guidance on how Medicare Part D sponsors report pharmacy price concessions, also known as direct and indirect remuneration (DIR) fees. The National Community Pharmacists Association said that 16 senators and 30 representatives
February 26, 2016 by CDR Blog
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMS, Medicare Part D, National Community Pharmacists Association, NCPA, prescription drug plans
CDR Blog
The National Community Pharmacists Association has given a rundown of what it described as a “wide-ranging” 228-page call letter by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) concerning proposed revisions to Medicare Part D prescription drug plans in 2017. In a blog post this week, NCPA outlined some of the key changes that community
February 12, 2016 by Chain Drug Review
B. Douglas Hoey, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, CMS, Medicare Part D, National Community Pharmacists Association, NCPA, preferred pharmacies, Sean Cavanaugh
Featured Articles, Leading Headlines, Pharmacy, Retail News
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Though the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has improved Medicare Part D patient access to preferred pharmacies, more work needs to be done, according to the National Community Pharmacists Association. NCPA on Friday applauded a statement released by CMS that the agency’s efforts to boost access to preferred pharmacies across
December 23, 2015 by Chain Drug Review
Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Medicare Part D, medication therapy management, MTM, NACDS, National Association of Chain Drug Stores, Steve Anderson
Featured Articles, Leading Headlines, Pharmacy, Retail News
ARLINGTON, Va. — A bipartisan coalition of congressmen is urging the participation of retail pharmacists in a new initiative to improve the use of medication therapy management (MTM) in Medicare. The National Association of Chain Drug Stores said Wednesday that 44 members of the U.S. House of Representatives have sent a letter to Secretary of Health