WASHINGTON – With the Senate Finance Committee holding a legislative markup today of the Prescription Drug Pricing Reduction Act (PDPRA) of 2019, eight associations noted initial bipartisan movement on direct and indirect remuneration (DIR) fee reform, but reiterated the need for swift and decisive action on this issue. Issuing a joint statement were: National Community
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
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Support for pharmacy direct and indirect remuneration fee reform continues to grow, with 204 pharmacy stakeholder and patient advocacy groups urging the Senate Finance Committee to include pharmacy DIR fee reform in its forthcoming drug pricing legislation. Nearly a quarter of the U.S. House of Representatives and more than a quarter of
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The National Community Pharmacists Association and its 22,000 member pharmacies are launching Fix DIR Day on Thursday, June 27. Pharmacy stakeholders will be mobilizing their legislators in Congress to contact members of the Senate Finance Committee and urge them to address pharmacy direct and indirect remuneration fees, or pharmacy DIR, in their
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — When the West Virginia Medicaid agency started managing the Medicaid managed care prescription drug benefit directly in July 2017, state officials were relying on an actuarial study forecasting a $30 million savings for the state. This week, the West Virginia Bureau for Medical Services released a report showing actual savings of $54.4
METAIRIE, La. — U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar yesterday visited Chateau Drugs and Gifts in Metairie, La., which is owned by National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) members Kerry and Diane Milano, both of whom are registered pharmacists. Azar made the visit to help highlight efforts by the Trump administration to
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — A years-long effort led by the National Community Pharmacists Association to build support for a proposal to move pharmacy price concessions to point-of-sale reached a critical milestone on Jan. 25, 2019. Nearly 3,500 pharmacists and 170 patients formally voiced their support for parts of a proposed Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services drug
Editor’s note: This was part of CDR’s 2019 Pharmacy Outlook in the January 7 issue. One thing that can be said about the state of prescription medications in 2019 is that the pharmacy payment model is complex, convoluted and confusing. Over $400 billion dollars are spent on prescription drugs, yet finding someone in the distribution
WASHINGTON— Four National Community Pharmacists Association leaders joined President Trump at the White House today as he signed legislation prohibiting so-called pharmacy “gag clauses” that may result in patients being charged inflated prices for their medications. Attending were newly-installed president Bill Osborn, owner of Osborn Drugs in Miami, Okla.; NCPA board members Michele M. Belcher, owner of Grants
BOSTON – Pharmacist Bill Osborn, of Osborn Drugs, Inc. in Miami, Okla., was installed as 2018-2019 president of the National Community Pharmacists Association at the organization’s recent annual convention in Boston. “Our profession has had many challenges in the past and we have persevered,” Osborn said in remarks to NCPA’s House of Delegates. “We can continue to
BOSTON – Jim Spoon, owner of Spoon Drug in Sand Springs, Okla., has been named the National Community Pharmacists Association 2018 Willard B. Simmons Independent Pharmacist of the Year. The award is sponsored by Upsher-Smith Laboratories. Spoon received the award at NCPA’s recent 2018 Annual Convention in Boston. The Independent Pharmacist of the Year award recognizes an independent pharmacist
BOSTON – Laird Miller of Gainesville, Ga., received the 2018 Calvin J. Anthony Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Community Pharmacists Association at NCPA’s recent annual convention here.. “Laird Miller has long been devoted to independent community pharmacy and its patients, including through his efforts to promote community-based prescription drug abuse prevention and his long service on
ALEXANDRIA, Va. –The National Community Pharmacists Association, which represents the owners of 22,000 small businesses, is seeking clarification on community pharmacists’ ability to obtain the pass-through deduction under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. The association provided comments this week to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on the Qualified Business Income Deduction proposed rule. NCPA has long advocated for
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — In testimony before the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health today, pharmacist-owner Hugh Chancy urged support for draft legislation to prohibit restrictive contractual language, often referred to as “gag clauses,” that may result in patients being charged inflated prices for their medications. Chancy, who owns Chancy Drugs in Hahira, Ga., testified on behalf of the