March 12th, 2014 by Pat Anson, Editor Pharmacists and patient advocates say the results of a survey by the National Pain Foundation show that a crackdown on prescription painkillers by the Drug Enforcement Administration is causing fear and confusion in…

By Chris Morran March 11, 2014 The shelves of pharmacies are full of pills, tablets, capsules, and liquids that are worth a lot of money, especially to addicts. So when more than 37,000 prescription pain pills vanish from handful of…

Bipartisan House bill seeking to designate pharmacists as healthcare providers in Medicare leverages pharmacists’ education and training Arlington, Va. – Bipartisan legislation was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives today that would designate pharmacists as healthcare providers under the…

It is critical that you contact Medicare and Congress by a March 7 deadline in support of a proposed rule for Part D that includes several positive elements for community pharmacists and their patients, including an any willing provider provision.…

Pharmacy Manager, This email is to update you on the National Precursor Log Exchange (NPLEx) project in Pennsylvania.  In compliance with HB 602 Act 53 the state has contracted Appriss to deliver NPLEx to all pharmacies/retailers within Pennsylvania.  The NPLEx…

I would advise pharmacy providers to read their contracts carefully, because this is a contractual issue between them and the Part D sponsors. However, if you read the high-lighted section, it should answer most of your questions. SUBJECT: Clarifications to…

I have been receiving calls at the office about the PSAO’s and the fact that they are signing contracts on your behalf THAT YOU ARE NOT HAPPY WITH. In most cases these PSAO’s have a committee made up of store…

Medicare Proposes to Open Preferred Part D Networks to Any Willing Provider On January 6, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a proposed rule that would open preferred networks offered in Medicare Part D plans to any…

PPA is aware of instances where auditing entities are denying claims and recouping 100% of the claim and refills for prescriptions that have a preprinted DEA number on them. They are citing PA Controlled Substance Requirement 25.53(e), which prohibits preprinting…

Dear Store Owners: Do you want to stop mandatory mail-order plans in Pennsylvania? Do you want to stop differential co-pays in Pennsylvania? Do you want to be able to have these customers return to your store? OK, but we need…

NCPA supports Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) for his letter to key House committee leaders questioning the wisdom of PBMs being able to audit Part D pharmacies on 10-year-old claims. “If there are bad actors in pharmacy they certainly should be…

A study paid for by the PBM/mail order lobby, Pharmaceutical Care Management Association, is under fire from community pharmacy groups. NCPA and NACDS pointed out in a letter to CMS that the study makes a number of questionable assumptions in…

Last week NCPA sent a formal letter of support to Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) on his bill that would ensure that waste and unnecessary Medicare expenses are minimized in LTC facilities. The legislation, S. 1493, prohibits Part D plan sponsors…

The Senate is nearing a final vote on long-pending legislation that would protect community pharmacists’ right to compound medicines and also require tracking of prescription drugs as they move through the supply chain. The bill, H.R. 3204, cleared a Senate…

American Pharmacists Month, observed throughout the month of October, recognizes the significant contributions to health care and the commitment to patient care by pharmacists in all practice settings nationwide. During this time, consumers are encouraged to consider the theme, “know…

Governor Brown signed two bills into law that aim to reduce prescription drug abuse by enhancing the state’s prescription monitoring program (PMP) and by making it easier for the medical board to investigate patient records after a suspicious death. The…

A new California law, signed by Governor Jerry Brown on October 1, 2013, will expand the scope of pharmacy practice within the state and improve patient access to care. The bill would establish board recognition for advanced practice pharmacists who,…

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Hospira, Inc, of Lake Forest, IL, have issued a voluntary recall of one lot of 1% Lidocaine HCI Injection, USP, 10 mg/mL, 2 mL Multiple-dose Fliptop Vial, National Drug Code 0409-4276-01, Lot 25-090-DK (the lot…

An analysis on a recent report from the Group of 8 (G8) shows that rogue online drug outlets are an issue worldwide. The G8 has been collaborating to undermine counterfeit drug sellers through an agreement to exchange information according to…

This is a program developed to help YOU help your patient questions about their Medicare options – be it Advantage programs, Supplement programs or Part D Rx Plans. You can sit down with your patient and an iPad and easily…

Attention Pharmacists! Don’t forget that for your next license renewal, you will need to show that you have 2 hours of your total continuing education hours on the topic of Patient Safety.  Patient Safety qualifying topics are specifically identified by…

Congress returns from its summer recess Sept. 9 and swift action on Senate compounding legislation could come any time after that. NCPA has strong concerns about the compounding sections of S. 959, especially a proposed overly broad expansion of authority…

By Alaric DeArment NEW YORK — The Food and Drug Administration is concerned about bills in several state legislatures that seek to restrict pharmacists’ ability to dispense biosimilars, according to published reports. Biopharma-Reporter.com quoted an FDA spokeswoman as saying “efforts to…

“Support Pharmacist Reimbursement! Let’s get pharmacists paid for preventive services. Support our cause at PharmacistReimbursement.com Don’t forget to share with other pharmacists you know!” Pharmacist at the Center of Preventive Care With today’s alarming shortage of primary care physicians, and with 30…