Dear independent pharmacy leader,  

NCPA has some updated information from a call today with CMS that we would like to share with you related to the 2015 Aetna / Coventry Part D plans as well as the current and future contracting processes for Part D:

Surescripts is expected to begin mailing rebate checks within the next two weeks to independent community pharmacies on its e-prescribing network. The rebates are calculated at 3-cents per billable transaction between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2014. Surescripts also has announced that it will offer a similar rebate program for 2015 transactions, payable early in 2016.

Temporary fixes allowing non-network pharmacies to process prescription claims for patients with Medicare Part D plans from Aetna/Coventry are either working now or are should be functional by the end of the week, according to an update from NCPA.

Dear independent pharmacy leader,

• As previously mentioned, Coventry/Aetna Part D processed through Express Scripts (ESI) announced and implemented a transition claims processing fix as of 1/12/15 that was to work for most pharmacies (those currently contracted with Aetna’s Premier Preferred Network – their broadest network).

A federal advisory panel has recommended that greater transparency for pharmacy benefit managers be required in private health plans.