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
It is said that patience is a virtue. With respect to medication therapy management (MTM) by chain pharmacists, patience has been more a necessity than a virtue. Among and between health care providers, including pharmacists, there have been MTM pilot projects and some test collaborations. But none has proven to merit a ramp-up to anything
WASHINGTON — Jesse McCullough, Rite Aid Corp.’s director of field clinical services, highlighted the role of medication therapy management (MTM) in improving the health of seniors in testimony to a House subcommittee. The Health Subcommittee of the Committee on Energy and Commerce was reviewing a plan by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
ARLINGTON, Va. — For a congressional hearing on medication therapy management, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores emphasized the value of pharmacists in providing MTM services, especially in improving medication adherence, patient health and health care affordability for Medicare patients. In a statement submitted Wednesday to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee
WASHINGTON — A pilot program for an enhanced medication therapy management model for Medicare Part D has been welcomed by the National Association of Chain Drug Stores. While NACDS is reviewing with member companies the 2017 launch by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), association president and chief executive officer Steve Anderson said
ARLINGTON, Va. — The National Association of Chain Drug Stores is applauding a move by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to boost Medicare Part D patients’ participation in medication therapy management (MTM) programs. CMS this week unveiled the Part D Enhanced Medication Therapy Management model, designed to test strategies to improve medication
If the lack of medication adherence were an easy problem to solve, then everyone would be taking their medicines as directed, there would be no need for iPhone apps or electronic pill bottle reminders, patient health outcomes would be improved, and overall health care costs would be lower because of reduced complications or hospitalizations. Yet
DUBLIN, Ohio — Cardinal Health Inc. plans to acquire medication therapy management specialist OutcomesMTM. Financial terms of the transaction weren’t disclosed. Cardinal said Thursday that the addition of OutcomesMTM will boost its ability to help payers, retail pharmacies, hospitals and integrated delivery networks provide MTM services to patients. Based in West Des Moines, Iowa, OutcomesMTM
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Pharmacists are performing more patient care activities in various health care settings and are spending less time in their traditional medication dispensing role, according to the the Pharmacy Workforce Center’s “2014 National Pharmacist Workforce Survey.” The 2014 National Pharmacist Workforce study, based on a sample of more than 5,200 licensed pharmacists, found
Cardinal Health’s Brad Tice said a closer look — actually, a broader look — needs to be taken at the full benefits resulting from medication therapy management (MTM). In a point-of-view article on Cardinal’s Essential Insights blog page, Tice — director of marketing and product management for performance and clinical outcomes at Cardinal — noted
WASHINGTON — The National Association of Chain Drug Stores and the National Community Pharmacists Association hailed the Senate’s introduction of legislation that would expand Medicare recipients’ access to medication therapy management (MTM) services. The Medication Therapy Management Empowerment Act of 2015 (S. 776) — introduced Wednesday by Sens. Pat Roberts (R., Kan.), Jeanne Shaheen (D.,
WASHINGTON — Pharmacists can perform a pivotal role in ensuring the optimal use of pharmaceuticals and improving patient outcomes in accountable care organizations (ACOs), concludes a case study published in the December issue of the Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy. The report, “Best Practices: Improving Patient Outcomes and Costs in an ACO Through
