2020 NCPA Convention Registration Now Open
Registration is now open for the NCPA 2020 Annual Convention. It's time to embrace new opportunities, energize your business, and take your service model to new heights. We've got a one-time deal for owner/managers and staff pharmacists ONLY, a flash sale to take $100 off the registration rate. Use code FLASH100 to claim your discount. Register today and mark your calendar for Oct. 17-20 in Nashville, Tenn. For more, view the preliminary convention schedule.
NCPA to Commence with PAC Solicitation
NCPA will be launching a PAC solicitation campaign the week of June 15. NCPA members should expect a phone call in the coming days from the NCPA PAC asking for a contribution. During this health crisis, it is important that NCPA continues supporting pro-pharmacy candidates to build on community pharmacy’s legislative successes. This is only possible if you step up and donate. Please note: NCPA PAC can only accept contributions from NCPA members in personal funds. For more information, please contact Eric Lundberg.
NCPA Expresses Concern with FDA’s
Animal Compounding Guidance
This week, NCPA submitted comments to FDA on its Compounding Animal Drugs from Bulk Drug Substances; Draft Guidance for Industry (Draft GFI #256), asserting that the guidance will likely inhibit veterinarians from properly treating their animal patients. NCPA asserted that FDA lacks authority to regulate the practice of veterinary medicine as contained in the guidance and animal health would be harmfully impacted by the proposal. As such, NCPA urged FDA to withdraw it as FDA did with its previous draft on this issue.
HHS Announces Additional Distributions
to Medicaid and CHIP Providers
HHS will distribute $15 billion from the Provider Relief Fund to eligible providers who participate in Medicaid and CHIP and have not received a payment from the general allocation targeted to Medicare providers. See this updated version of the Provider Relief Fund FAQ for details.
New Video Explains Details of Latest PPP Change
President Trump signed a measure allowing small businesses that receive emergency loans under the Paycheck Protection Program up to two years to qualify for forgiveness among other important updates to be aware of. A new video from Ollin and Scotty Sykes of Sykes & Co. explains details of the program and the new measure, which NCPA advocated for.
NCPA Urges Passage of Pennsylvania Medicaid
Managed Care Reform Legislation
NCPA sent a call to action to Pennsylvania members asking them to contact their state senators to urge passage of HB 941, which would reform the commonwealth’s Medicaid managed care program. It would enable the Department of Human Services to review contracts with MCOs and the PBMs as well as gather payment information so they can account for taxpayer dollars, prohibit a PBM or MCO from retroactively denying or modifying payment once a claim is paid, and protect a Medicaid patient’s choice of pharmacy. The bill is currently with the Senate Health and Human Services Committee.
New Resources Added to Fight4Rx Toolkit
New imagery has been added to the Fight4Rx toolkit to provide additional options to engage your patients in the pharmacy about the Fight4Rx campaign. Fight4Rx speaks directly to patients in laymen's terms about how the PBMs increase their medication costs. By engaging them in this effort, they can learn how they can act to rein in PBMs to reduce their drug costs and ensure they retain access to the pharmacy providers they depend on. It's simple for them to take action. All they have to do is text "Fight4Rx" to 52886. They can also engage with Fight4Rx on Facebook and Twitter.
Colorado PrEP/PEP Bill Passes Both Chambers
House Bill 20-1061 has passed and is pending Governor Jared Polis’ (D) approval. It would increase patient access to HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) medications by authorizing pharmacists to prescribe and dispense PrEP or PEP medications. It would also require commercial carriers to cover HIV infection prevention drugs prescribed or dispensed by a pharmacist and to provide an adequate consultative fee or adequate dispensing fee (if medical billing is unavailable) equivalent to that provided to a physician or advanced practice nurse. NCPA submitted a letter of support for this legislation in February.
NCPA State Legislative Activity Update
NCPA tracks state legislation related to our top three state priorities: Medicaid reform, scope of practice and compensation for services, and PBM reform and regulation. Click each issue for a report of bills that have been introduced so far this session specifically dealing with these three issue areas. You can access the individual bill language and basic information on the bill by clicking on the bill numbers in the attached report. Bills that have moved this week are listed at the top in the “Recently Updated” section.
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.