Content about EVP and CEO

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy and the National Community Pharmacists Association are focusing on the issue of medication adherence with the announcement of a joint pharmacy educators challenge and half-day symposium that will highlight the best practices in teaching medication adherence.
 

WASHINGTON — With the aging population and the rise in the numbers of people with chronic disease states, the country has a huge need for more pharmacists, so what better place is there to look for them than the nation's middle and high schools?

The American Pharmacists Association and OptumRx announced Thursday the launch of Pharmacy is Right for Me, an educational initiative designed to encourage students in grades 8 through 12 to pursue careers in pharmacy.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The National Community Pharmacists Association on Tuesday released results from a survey of more than 800 independent community pharmacists about the negative consequences for their patients and their businesses if diabetes testing supplies under Medicare Part B are subjected to competitive bidding prices.

“The message from our survey is clear: applying competitive bidding prices for diabetes testing supplies to independent community pharmacies is financially unsustainable for these pharmacies,” stated NCPA EVP and CEO Douglas Hoey.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — As part of the launch of the Department of Health and Human Services' Million Hearts campaign on Tuesday, HHS identified several key association partners, including the National Community Pharmacist Association and the American Pharmacists Association.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The National Community Pharmacists Association on Monday launched Simplify My Meds, an innovative adherence program that provides pharmacists with the tools to help coordinate patients’ prescription refills to a single day of the month, for its independent community pharmacy members.

The new model facilitates a more comprehensive and coordinated level of pharmacy care, reduces the potential for gaps in therapy and promotes improved medication adherence, the NCPA stated.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The National Community Pharmacists Association on Monday issued a number of recommendations to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, which is responsible for contracting with at least two multistate plans that will offer coverage through exchanges that come online in 2014, and that will provide consumers with additional health insurance options.

KINGSTON, Pa. — Rep. Tom Marino, R-Pa., on Monday propositioned a bill that would allow independent drug stores to band together in an effort to increase their collective pharmaceutical buying power.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The National Community Pharmacists Association on Wednesday announced support for the Quality Health Care Coalition Act of 2011 (H.R. 1409), which was introduced last week by House Judiciary Committee ranking member Rep. John Conyers Jr., D-Mich., and Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, in an effort to improve the quality of patient care by leveling the playing field between healthcare professionals and insurance companies in the healthcare industry.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced this week it would delay implementation of its proposed Medicare Part D long-term care “short-cycle” rule for one year.

WASHINGTON — The American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research on Monday published a working paper that identified $329 million in overspending as a result of underutilization of generics.

As total spending on 20 medicines with generic equivalents totaled approximately $1.5 billion, AEI concluded Medicaid overspent by 22% ($1.5 billion versus $1.17 billion) on these pharmaceuticals.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The National Community Pharmacists Association expressed its support of the Senate's decision to repeal the 1099 tax reporting mandate for businesses.

The Senate announced it passed an amendment that repealed a requirement for businesses to file 1099 forms with the Internal Revenue Service beginning in 2012 any time they spend more than $600 a year with any other business. NCPA EVP and CEO Kathleen Jaeger said that the business tax provision would have shifted community pharmacies focus from "clinical to clerical."

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has proposed a rule shortening the traditional 30-day drug cycle for long-term care centers to seven days when brand-name drugs are dispensed, prompting a supportive response from an organization representing independent pharmacies.