Headed to the NACDS Regional Chain Conference? Here’s What You Need to Know.
The 2017 Regional Chain Conference is around the corner. Here’s what you need to know before you go.
NACDS RxIMPACT Goes Full Court Press on Provider Status
NACDS RxIMPACT mobilized its largest letter-writing campaign ever this week mobilizing advocates to contact their representatives to build on the momentum of the Pharmacy and Medically Underserved Areas Enhancement Act.
…the future of pharmacy will be dependent upon the provider status decision
The legislation was reintroduced late last week in the House (H.R. 592), with the bipartisan original co-sponsorship of nearly one-quarter of the House, and reintroduced in the Senate (S. 109) January 12.
The campaign called on state associations, schools of pharmacy and NACDS member companies to send letters to their legislators emphasizing that the lack of pharmacist provider status recognition in Medicare and Medicaid has limited the ability of pharmacists to provide patient services they are qualified to perform, which inhibits patient access to care. The legislation would enhance access to care for underserved Americans, which would reduce overall health costs and improve patient outcomes.
Greg Guenther, RPh, director of pharmacy for Dierbergs Pharmacies, responded to the call, as he has many times before, and emailed his entire pharmacy team encouraging them to get engaged on this critical issue. Guenther noted, “…it takes diligence to be successful,” and wrote that “the future of pharmacy will be dependent upon the provider status decision.” He then challenged his team, “Will we… continue to expand our responsibilities to meet the training we have and the demands of our patients?”
To date, advocates have sent 2,048 letters to their representatives in the House and Senate. The power of grassroots advocacy is in motion.
NACDS Welcomes New Lobbyist Amber Manko
Amber Manko, who most recently served as director of federal affairs at CAPG, a trade association focused on helping physician groups improve healthcare delivery and patient outcomes, joined NACDS in late November. Manko’s in-depth knowledge of the Affordable Care Act, Medicare and health insurance issues will prove essential as NACDS navigates a new political landscape. NACDS.org caught up with her this week to discuss her thoughts on healthcare policy, what brought her to D.C., and more.
Q: Where are you from originally?
A: Salisbury, Connecticut, in the northwest corner of the state.
Q: What made you interested in a career in politics?
A: I’ve always been interested in politics. My mom publishes our local newspaper and my family has always been very politically engaged in one way or another. My advisor at Syracuse University also pointed out right before I was about to graduate that I had also earned another degree in political science, so I realized it must have been a passion of mine that I subconsciously didn’t realize.
Q: When did you come to D.C.?
A: I came here August of 2009, right before the Affordable Care Act was being negotiated. I started working for the head of Federal Government Affairs at America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP). There’s a lot of value that comes in the type of work that we do—helping the healthcare system to grow and being more responsive to consumers and patients.
Q: What aspect of healthcare policy do you find compelling?
A: I legitimately learn something new every day. There are so many different corners of the healthcare system that are doing incredible work and that face a lot of adversity in delivering the services they provide every day. From that perspective, it’s something that you’ll never be an expert in, but you’re always moving forward. This is an exciting time because consumers are becoming much more involved and empowered.
Q: What is your guiding principle professionally?
A: To pause and then respond. You can be the loudest person in the room, but typically the quietest person in the room has the most expertise.
Q: What are you looking forward to at your first NACDS RxIMPACT Day on Capitol Hill March 14-15?
A: One of the [ READ MORE ]
NACDS, University of Pittsburgh Extend Test2Learn Community-Based Pharmacogenomics Certificate Program Well-received community pharmacy certificate program expands national tour to include three new locations in North Carolina, California and Ohio
Arlington, Va. – Building on the positive outcomes and engagement in the initial phase of the Test2LearnTM Community-Based Pharmacogenomics Certificate Program, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS), in partnership with the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy, today announced plans to expand the national tour to three new locations: Duke University in Durham, N.C., Chapman University’s School of Pharmacy located in Irvine, Calif., and The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio.
We are providing community pharmacy with an education program that trains pharmacists to improve patient outcomes through a more personalized and tailored approach to medicine.
Pharmacogenomics is an emerging field of study that combines pharmacology and genomics to ensure that medications are used in a safe and effective manner based on a person’s genetic makeup. The certificate program is designed to enhance pharmacist skills to help to ensure that the right patient is getting the right medicine at the right dose using genetic test results.
NACDS and the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy adapted Test2LearnTM from an innovative University platform that enables students to learn by using real genetic data in highly-interactive exercises. The certificate program is comprised of online home study modules and in-person live components, including an optional activity for learners to undergo personal genomic testing. In addition to the in-person aspect of the program, pharmacist participants will also learn how to administer the training to others during the “train-the-trainer” component of the course.
“We are providing community pharmacy with an education program that trains pharmacists to improve patient outcomes through a more personalized and tailored approach to medicine,” said NACDS President & CEO Steven C. Anderson, IOM, CAE. “The inaugural Test2LearnTM tour generated a great deal of interest and positive feedback from participants and faculty, so we are delighted to be able to expand the tour to include additional locations in the Midwest, South and on the West Coast.”
Test2LearnTM teaches the principles of pharmacogenomics as well as its practical implications in disease states such as cardiology, oncology, neurology and infectious diseases, among others. It trains pharmacists to decipher genetic tests, translate that information, and make appropriate recommendations for the patient, including clinical decision making, interpretation of [ READ MORE ]
Pharmacist Provider Status Bill Re-Introduced in House NACDS thanks House and Senate champions for commitment to Medicare patients’ access to quality, accessible and affordable care
Arlington, Va. – The Pharmacy and Medically Underserved Areas Enhancement Act (H.R. 592) was reintroduced on Friday, January 20, with the bipartisan original co-sponsorship of nearly one-quarter of the U.S. House of Representatives. The Senate bill (S. 109) was re-introduced on January 12. The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) strongly backs the legislation.
Pharmacists remain among the most highly trusted professionals. That, combined with their extensive education and accessibility, create tremendous opportunities for patient care.
“NACDS thanks for their leadership Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-KY), Rep. G.K. Butterfield (D-NC), Rep. Tom Reed (R-NY) and Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI) – the lead sponsors of the Pharmacy and Medically Underserved Areas Enhancement Act in the House,” said NACDS President and CEO Steven C. Anderson, IOM, CAE. “NACDS appreciates all of the 108 Representatives who have signed onto the legislation as original cosponsors. The work already is underway to build on the momentum that was started in the last Congress, to accelerate the campaign to enhance the quality, accessibility and affordability of patient care through pharmacist-provided services.
“NACDS members operate pharmacies in each and every Congressional District, and we look forward to telling their story as the face of neighborhood healthcare. Pharmacy’s story resonates in communities throughout the nation, where pharmacists are relied on heavily and can be leveraged even more for the benefit of Medicare patients.”
The bill would allow underserved Medicare patients to receive certain services from pharmacists, in states in which pharmacists already are permitted to administer the functions. Examples of these services include immunizations; helping seniors manage chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart conditions and asthma; conducting wellness or prevention testing; and helping seniors take their medications correctly and as prescribed. Nurse practitioners and physicians’ assistants currently can provide these services through Medicare.
“Pharmacists remain among the most highly trusted professionals. That, combined with their extensive education and accessibility, create tremendous opportunities for patient care,” Anderson said.
To sit for pharmacy Board licensure exams, candidates must have a Doctor of Pharmacy degree (PharmD), which requires a minimum of six years of professional education. Highly-educated pharmacists are tremendously accessible, with most Americans – 91 percent – living within five miles of a community pharmacy. [ READ MORE ]
D.C. Prepares for 58th Presidential Inauguration
In preparation for the swearing in of President-elect Trump at the 58th inauguration ceremony on January 20, seats are being set out on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol.
House Provider Status Bill Expected Soon
NACDS continues to make progress on advancing provider status in the 115th Congress. Last week, The Pharmacy and Medically Underserved Areas Enhancement Act (S. 109) was reintroduced with the bipartisan original co-sponsorship of more than a quarter of the Senate.
The cosponsors would like the bill to retain its number from the previous Congress—H. R. 592.
The return of the legislation in the House is expected shortly, where the bill currently has more than 100 original cosponsors. The cosponsors would like the bill to retain its number from the previous Congress—H. R. 592. In order to do that, the cosponsors will need to introduce the legislation right after a bill numbered H.R. 591, which should not take too long. The House is not in session this week, so it’s possible the bill could be formally reintroduced in the House next week.
Familiar Pharmacy Faces Earn Assignments on Key Healthcare Committees
Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-KY) met with Co-Chief Operating Officer of Walgreens Boots Alliance Alex Gourlay, NACDS vice chairman, at the 2016 NACDS RxIMPACT Day on Capitol Hill. Rep. Guthrie was a lead sponsor of NACDS-backed pharmacist provider status legislation in the previous Congress, and will be one of the members re-introducing the bill in the House in the coming days. The bill was reintroduced in the Senate on Thursday with the bipartisan original co-sponsorship of more than one-quarter of the Senate.
The newly convened 115th Congress has started to announce congressional committee assignments. Significantly for NACDS, Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA), the only pharmacist currently serving in Congress, landed a sought-after seat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and its Health Subcommittee.
In the Senate, freshman Sen. Todd Young (R-IN), who was an original cosponsor of the Pharmacy and Medically Underserved Areas Enhancement Act in the prior Congress, was named as a member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.
The legislation would enhance underserved Medicare patients’ access to state-approved pharmacist services. The lead sponsor of the bill in the 114th Congress, Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-KY), will remain vice chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee. It is encouraging that these congressional pharmacy supporters are well placed, especially as Congress prepares for reforms to the Affordable Care Act.
Senate Sets in Motion Steps to Repeal Healthcare Law
The Senate voted 51 to 48 early Thursday morning to approve a budget resolution that provides a blueprint for House and Senate committees to begin working on legislation that would repeal key portions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
The Senate action is largely procedural and lays the groundwork for a special kind of legislation called a reconciliation bill, which will be immune to Democratic filibuster. Senate Democrats staged a rare late-night protest against repealing the ACA on the Senate floor, forcing a series of votes known as a “vote-a-rama,” and expressed concern that millions of Americans are at risk of losing healthcare coverage.
The bill will now go to the House of Representatives for a vote expected to take place on Friday.
NACDS and allied associations continue to advocate for a pro-patient and pro-pharmacy approach to any related modifications to pharmacy reimbursement in government programs.
Senate Floor Update: Budget Amendment Results on Importation
There was a close vote on drug importation on the Senate floor during Wednesday’s frenzied “vote-a-rama” as the Senate conducted budget resolution proceedings.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT) offered an amendment to allow American individuals, pharmacists, and wholesalers to import drugs from Canada. NACDS weighed in through in-person lobbying and a letter to every Senate office, outlining concerns that allowing personal or wholesale importation of prescriptions drugs to the U.S. raises significant safety concerns. The non-binding amendment was ultimately not agreed to, with a vote of 46-52. Of interest, 13 Senate Democrats voted against the amendment, and 12 Senate Republicans voted for it.
NACDS will keep a close eye on this issue, especially given the narrow margin of the vote and shifting dynamics suggested by the cross-party voting.
