NACDS has provided a response to “The Unsung Role of the Pharmacist in Patient Health,” a New York Times article published on Jan. 28 that emphasizes the increasingly important role of pharmacists in healthcare delivery.
NACDS has promoted six staff team members to roles vital to the advancement of the NACDS Access Agenda and its related issue campaigns.
NACDS has submitted comments containing recommendations for the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Healthy People 2030 initiative, which develops a new set of evidence-based, 10-year national objectives aimed at improving the health of all Americans.
Based on insights from member pharmacies that serve as the front lines of healthcare delivery, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) has submitted extensive and thoroughly documented comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in support of the agency’s proposal to reform direct and indirect remuneration (DIR) fees – reform that relates directly to reducing patients’ out-of-pocket drug costs.
KEY FACTS
“The proposed changes are consistent with several of the Administration’s priorities, including the goal to reduce prescription drug costs for patients; improve the Medicare program; and use ‘[Department of Health and Human Services] programs to build a value-driven healthcare system. We therefore strongly urge CMS to use its current authority to further update the Part D Program by implementing these much-needed reforms in the final rule…NACDS members’ experiences confirm that the abuses and harms of pharmacy DIR fees are genuine. And the situation is rapidly growing worse, as abusive pharmacy DIR fees continue to grow exponentially. Pharmacies are calling on CMS to eliminate these and other harms now, by implementing reforms to eliminate pharmacy DIR fees.”
– NACDS’ comments to CMS READ FULL PRESS RELEASE READ COMMENTS
NACDS and the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) expressed concerns about the risks to patient health and the security of the prescription drug supply chain in opposing legislation that would allow for personal and commercial importation of prescription drugs outside of the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) oversight.
Pharmacists rank third in Gallup’s 2018 survey of honesty and ethical standards, maintaining their consistently strong showing in the annual measure of diverse professions.
Goodwin will be able to share first-hand the take-aways from Leadership in Turbulent Times. Published in September 2018, this book – her seventh – presents a road map for aspiring and established leaders, based on her five decades of studying U.S. Presidents.
The 20th Annual NACDS Foundation Dinner raised more than $1.8 million to help support evidence-based research, pharmacy education and philanthropic initiatives to improve patient outcomes and advance population health. Dr. Michael Fraser, CEO of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, received the 2018 Excellence in Patient Care Award.
The National Community Pharmacists Association, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, and the National Association of Specialty Pharmacy issued a statement regarding the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ release on Monday of the proposed rule titled “Modernizing Part D and Medicare Advantage to Lower Drug Prices and Reduce Out-of-Pocket Expenses."
The CEO of Association of State and Territorial Health Officials has demonstrated public-health leadership, including work the help address the opioid-abuse epidemic. Dr. Fraser will accept the award at the 20th Annual NACDS Foundation Dinner on November 28, 2018, at the Sheraton New York Times Square in New York City.
