NCPA cohosts drug pricing rule briefing
for patient advocates
This week NCPA and NACDS cohosted a briefing on the pharmacy DIR aspects of the proposed “Modernizing Part D and Medicare Advantage to Lower Drug Prices and Reduce Out of Pocket Expenses,” rule. The presentation was well attended and focused on how patient benefits of amending the “negotiated” price to include all pharmacy price concessions, or DIR fees, which would lower patient out of pocket costs and improve patient adherence by making medications more affordable. The information was well received and attendees were encouraged to support a sign on letter and comment favorably on the proposal in any individual comments they are submitting on the rule.
The briefing comes at a time when support for finalizing pharmacy DIR component of the proposed rule continues to grow to date more than 2,000 pharmacists have submitted comments supporting the DIR proposal. If you have not yet done so, please take a moment and add your voice to those of your colleagues and urge CMS to finalize the DIR provisions for contract year 2020 by submitting comments through NCPA’s grassroots portal. If you have already submitted comments, urge your colleagues to do the same.
NCPA has also developed a new bag stuffer that can be used to help educate patients on their potential out of pocket cost savings if the DIR provisions of the rule are finalized and encourage them to submit their own comments in support. Thus far, nearly 100 patients have submitted supportive comments. The bag stuffer, along with other helpful resources, are available on NCPA’s resources webpage.
House Democrats appoint new members
to E&C and Ways and Means Committees
This week, new House Speaker Nancy Pelosi began assigning members of the Democratic Caucus to committees. She selected members of the House Energy and Commerce and Ways and Means Committee, the two committees of jurisdiction for most healthcare and pharmacy issues. Both of these committees will have several new members. The new Democratic members of the E&C Committee are: Nanette Barragán (CA), Lisa Blunt Rochester (DE), Robin Kelly (IL), Ann Kuster (NH), Donald McEachin (VA), Tom O'Halleran (AZ), Darren Soto (FL), and Marc Veasey (TX). While the new members of the Ways and Means Committee are: Gwen Moore (WI), Dan Kildee (MI), Brendan Boyle (PA), Don Beyer (VA), Dwight Evans (PA), Tom Suozzi (NY), Jimmy Panetta (CA), Stephanie Murphy (FL), Brad Schneider (IL), and Steven Horsford (NV). NCPA congratulates all of these members for their new committee assignments and looks forward to continue to working with them to advance pro-patient and pro-pharmacy legislative priorities.
NCPA state government affairs team
previews 2019 priorities
This week, the NCPA state government affairs team hosted a stakeholder call to discuss NCPA’s 2019 state priorities. The three priority issues are addressing the major flaws in how pharmacies are reimbursed in in Medicaid Managed Care; enhancing the regulation of PBMS; and expanding pharmacists’ scope of practice and pharmacy services.
NCPA has also developed a one pager providing additional details on each of these priorities and highlighting the services NCPA’s state government affairs team can provide to our allies in the states as legislative sessions convene.
Hoey op-ed stresses importance of community pharmacists
in improving patient health
This week, Morning Consult published an op-ed by NCPA CEO Douglas Hoey titled “Everything Old Is New Again?” which highlighted the personal services offered by community pharmacists that improve patient adherence and health outcomes, including same day home delivery offered by most community pharmacies that is also free in most instances. Hoey contrasted these personal touches with faceless mail order or delivery through other services such as Fed-ex that are impersonal and come at a cost to the patient. Examples were offered on how the personal service of community pharmacists identified potential problems with patients and their medications and bemoaned how such services are jeopardized in the current environment.
Save the date: 2019 NCPA Congressional fly-in April 10 and 11
Successful advocacy is built on relationships. You'll build – and build on – those important relationships at the 2019 NCPA Congressional Pharmacy Fly-In. The format is simple and perfect for a busy owner/pharmacist: Fly in, get briefed, go to Capitol Hill, share your story with members of Congress, fly home. It couldn't be easier – or more effective. So, save the date – April 10-11. We'll see you there!
NCPA supports option to uniform NDC sequence
in response to lack of remaining 5-digit labeler codes
Last Friday, NCPA submitted comments to the FDA on the future of the NDC. Comments were in response to a public hearing held last November on changes to the NDC length and/or format when FDA runs out of 5-digit labeler codes. NCPA supported an option to harmonize the NDC assignment with other stakeholders by moving toward a uniform NDC in a 6-4-2 sequenced format at a future date. One standard configuration would offer many benefits to industry stakeholders, including the elimination of patient safety concerns from duplicate NDCs and streamline the reimbursement process.
NCPA submits comments to the FDA
to help combat drug shortages
As a follow-up to its November public meeting, the FDA invited comment from the public to identify causes of and solutions for the worsening issue of drug shortages. The FDA has recently made a concerted effort to resolve drug shortages that are heavily impacting patients, hospitals, and pharmacies. Today, NCPA submitted comments to the FDA indicating that early notification of a shortage is important to minimize excess time a pharmacist spends in trying to resolve a shortage issue at the pharmacy counter. We also stressed the importance of compounding as a solution and ensuring appropriate payer coverage during the development of any new policies to address shortages. NCPA will continue to help the agencies understand the importance of the pharmacists’ role in resolving drug shortages.
NCPA’s Advocacy Center Update provides a weekly detailed summary of recent and breaking legislative, regulatory, and state developments impacting independent community pharmacy and NCPA’s efforts to affect policies benefitting its membership and the industry. The weekly update is distributed to NCPA leadership, steering committees, allied organizations/stakeholders and major contributors to the NCPA LDF and PAC.