ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The National Community Pharmacists Association and the National Association of Chain Drug Stores issued the following statement Thursday after a final drug pricing rule was released and failed to reform pharmacy direct and indirect remuneration fees, or pharmacy DIR: “We are disappointed and frustrated that this final rule fails to finalize pharmacy
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Wednesday issued guidance for Medicaid and CHIP managed care plans clarifying that the amount retained from a pharmacy benefit manager under “spread pricing” must be excluded from the amount of actual claims used in calculating Medicaid and CHIP managed care plans’ Medical Loss Ratio. The
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — In a significant victory for Georgia patients and community pharmacists, Gov. Brian Kemp yesterday signed into law two anti- “steering” bills, following significant advocacy by state pharmacists and the Georgia Pharmacy Association. Gov. Kemp signed HB 233, to prohibit pharmacy benefit manager- or insurer-owned pharmacies from profiting off of prescriptions “steered” from
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — As pharmacy benefit manager executives prepare to be hauled before Congress next week to defend their business practices, community pharmacists are eagerly awaiting release of a drug pricing rule that, if finalized as proposed, would move pharmacy price concessions to point-of-sale, eliminating the retroactive nature of pharmacy direct and indirect remuneration (DIR) fees. Since 2014,
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