Content about Healthcare reform in the United States

WASHINGTON — A new health initiative will address cardiovascular disease among African-Americans living in three counties in Alabama where the problem is considered significant.

WASHINGTON — The Department of Health and Human Services is proposing a new rule that it said would promote consistent policies and processes for eligibility notices in Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program and the health insurance exchanges mandated under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Advocare Walgreens Well Network, Diagnostic Clinic Walgreens Well Network and Scott & White Walgreens Well Network have been selected as three of 106 new Accountable Care Organizations in Medicare, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced Thursday.

WASHINGTON — A new study indicates that the public bears "unnecessary expense" when generic drugs aren't used.

NEW YORK — Wall Street on Wednesday celebrated the "fiscal cliff" compromise as stocks across the board were trading up by some 200 basis points. As of noon, the Dow was up 1.7% and Nasdaq 2.3%. 

Amid the glacial pace of change in government and health policy, congressional number crunchers have finally acknowledged an indisputable fact long known to health and pharmacy experts: prescription medicines save money.

It seems obvious enough. But it was only last week, near the end of November, that the Congressional Budget Office unveiled the results of a new study showing that greater prescription drug access and utilization can reduce health care costs in other areas, including hospitalizations.

The Obama administration’s ambitious overhaul of the nation’s healthcare system weathered some significant challenges in 2012 and came through relatively unscathed.


The first major test came in June, when the U.S. Supreme Court refused to overturn the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, while still ruling that the law’s provision requiring individuals to obtain health insurance was unconstitutional.


What saved the ACA was the court’s decision that the government’s mandate to purchase health insurance qualified as a tax. 


Each year, we say good-bye to the current year and welcome in the New Year full of hope and aspirations for a successful year ahead. Customers turn out in droves for “New Year, New You” specials and when they reach the register, the retail pharmacy world knows the scenario quite well. In a few short weeks’ time, you and your staff will be asking these all too familiar questions, “Did you have any insurance changes? Did you have a change in benefits?  Did you know your brand drug is now available in generic?” and so on.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The National Community Pharmacists Association on Wednesday commended seven U.S. Representatives for recently writing the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to urge the agency to allow independent community pharmacists to continue same-day home delivery of diabetes test supplies to certain Medicare beneficiaries. 

PHILADELPHIA — More health insurers are credentialing nurse practitioners as primary care providers, but there is room for improvement, according to a recent national survey of health insurers.

The survey of health insurers, specifically Health Maintenance Organizations — conducted by the National Nursing Centers Consortium, a support organization for nurse-led care — found that 75% of HMOs credential with nurse practitioners as primary care providers, an increase over previous years.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — With the start of Annual Enrollment Period on Monday for Medicare Part D prescription drug plans, CVS/pharmacy has announced that it is ready to help pharmacy patients who are enrolling in Medicare Part D for the first time or want to make a change to their current coverage plan. 

CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid is making its pharmacists available free of charge to seniors and their caregivers for personalized Medicare Part D consultations. Seniors can also use Rite Aid's dedicated Medicare Advisor comparison tools online at RiteAid.com/medicareadvisor.