NACDS Foundation Zika Op-ed Featured in Morning Consult
The NACDS Foundation is featured today in Morning Consult's health publication in an op-ed focused on keeping Zika virus prevention top-of-mind.
NACDS Meets with Health and Human Services Secretary Price Anderson invited to present at Secretary’s listening session on the affordability, accessibility and availability of drugs for patients
NACDS President & CEO Steven C. Anderson participated in a listening session at the invitation of Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price.
NACDS Thanks 67 House Members for Pushing TRICARE Pilot Congressional letter urges Defense Department to implement program to reduce costs; improve patient outcomes and access to prescription medications
NACDS is thanking the 67 members of the House of Representatives who sent a bipartisan letter to Secretary of Defense James Mattis calling for implementation of the TRICARE Acquisition Cost Parity Pilot Program for Retail Pharmacy.
Alex Gourlay Emphasizes Pro-Customer Leadership Role for NACDS, Industry in First Remarks as NACDS Chairman Co-chief operating officer of Walgreens Boots Alliance & president, Walgreen Co. accepts NACDS chairman’s gavel at NACDS Annual Meeting and notes community engagement as a priority
Scottsdale, Ariz. – Alex Gourlay, co-chief operating officer of Walgreens Boots Alliance & president, Walgreen Co., today delivered his inaugural remarks as the chairman of the Board of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS). He described his enthusiasm for helping to build on NACDS’ legacy of leadership on issues of importance to customers.
“The theme for today, and moving forward is the customer – understanding the customer’s needs and meeting them,” Gourlay said. “The whole association of NACDS is going to be based on that theme moving forward, in meeting the healthcare challenges that [former NACDS Chairman] Martin Otto described, and in advancing the Future Value Targeting initiative that [NACDS President and CEO] Steve Anderson described earlier during this meeting.
“Through the Future Value Targeting initiative, we are looking to lead the industry in a proactive and positive way, at a time when we have so much to offer,” Gourlay said.
“We have to tell our story. It is an important way to build trust…And, of course, we have to do more. With our collective power and wisdom we can do more. We need to tell our story and improve our story.”
Gourlay described shifting dynamics in the political environment, in retail and in healthcare. Specifically, he noted changing trends in fulfillment, demographics, shopper behavior, wellness and personalization.
To address these dynamics, Gourlay emphasized the importance of building trust and improving efficiency to better meet the needs of customers. “Building trust is absolutely essential in this marketplace,” he said. “Also, we have to improve efficiency in this marketplace.”
To pursue those goals, he described the importance of putting customers first in three areas. He discussed healthcare affordability and price transparency. He noted opportunities to foster convenience by maximizing efficiency and experience through retailers’ partnerships with suppliers and wholesalers, technological solutions such as e-prescribing, and new pharmacy services. Gourlay concluded by recognizing corporate social responsibility efforts already underway by NACDS chain and associate members alike, which can form the basis for further efforts to commit to the communities the industry serves.
Regarding corporate social responsibility, Gourlay said: “We have to tell our story. It is an important way [ READ MORE ]
NACDS Foundation Scholarship Program Awards $230,000 for Educational Programs to Improve Patient Care
Scottsdale, Ariz. – Acknowledging the vital role pharmacy education plays in improving patient care, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) Foundation announced $230,000 in scholarships and grants through its 2017 NACDS Foundation Scholarship Program. The recipients were presented with their awards tonight at an NACDS Foundation event during the NACDS Annual Meeting.
This year’s awardees were selected from more than 40 general and diversity scholarship applications submitted from deans of accredited colleges and schools of pharmacy across the country. Six grants were awarded to applicants for innovative education programs in the amount of $20,000 each, including two in the name of industry leaders: The Wayne Roberts Memorial Scholarship, provided by Apotex Corporation, and the Robert J. Bolger Scholarship, provided by Teva. Additionally, two one-time grants in the amount of $15,000 each were awarded for excellence in diversity programs.
The awardees of the 2017 NACDS Foundation Scholarships for excellence in education are:
- Duquesne University School of Pharmacy will launch a study in an underserved area of Pittsburgh by providing patients with complimentary Hepatitis C virus screenings and education through a university-run outpatient facility.
- Nova Southeastern University College of Pharmacy will provide its pharmacy students with cutting-edge, practice-based experience through the college’s new “Adherence, Transitions of Care and Medication Therapy Management Center,” opened in 2016.
- Ohio Northern University Raabe College of Pharmacy will launch a two-year program which aims to screen 1,000 underserved patients in rural Ohio for Hepatitis C using a college-facilitated mobile health clinic.
- Ohio State University College of Pharmacy students will give refugees and new immigrants an understanding of the U.S. pharmacy/healthcare system by providing them with an introductory course on pharmacy services.
- Union University School of Pharmacy will launch a study evaluating educational intervention techniques in diabetes care for African American patients at risk for diabetes-related health issues in West Tennessee.
- University of Colorado, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences will expand its program which requires each of its students to travel and live for six weeks in a rural pharmacy location working with inter-professional healthcare teams.
Awardees of the 2017 NACDS Foundation Scholarships for excellence in diversity programs:
- The University of Texas at Austin College of [ READ MORE ]
NACDS Elects 2017-2018 Officers and New Members to Board and Executive Committee Alex Gourlay, co-chief operating officer of Walgreens Boots Alliance & president, Walgreen Co., elected NACDS Chairman of the Board of Directors
Scottsdale, Ariz. – During the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) Annual Meeting, NACDS elected new officers, one new Executive Committee member and two new Board of Directors members for the coming year.
Alex Gourlay, co-chief operating officer of Walgreens Boots Alliance & president, Walgreen Co., will serve as the new chairman of the NACDS Board of Directors. Gourlay succeeds Martin Otto, chief merchant & chief financial officer of H-E-B, who completed his term.
In addition, Mark Panzer, senior vice president of pharmacy, health and wellness of Albertsons Companies, was elected NACDS vice chairman, and Helena Foulkes, executive vice president of CVS Health and president of CVS Pharmacy, was elected NACDS treasurer. Each officer will serve a one-year term. In addition, Foulkes was elected to the NACDS Executive Committee.
“We are delighted to welcome Alex as chairman of the NACDS Board of Directors,” said NACDS President and CEO Steven C. Anderson, IOM, CAE. “Alex has been highly effective as an NACDS officer, including his dedicated involvement in the NACDS RxIMPACT grassroots advocacy program and his engagement on behalf of his company and on behalf of the industry at NACDS meetings and conferences throughout the year. He is highly engaged in the important work of advancing issues of importance to NACDS chain and associate members alike, and we value his leadership.”
Two new Board of Directors members were also elected to serve three-year terms: Brian Nightengale, president of Good Neighbor Pharmacy, and Michael K. Bloom, chief executive officer of Fred’s Pharmacy.
The NACDS Board of Directors develops NACDS’ policies and priorities.
NACDS Leadership Rolls Out “Future Value Targeting” Initiative at Annual Meeting Otto, Anderson Speak at Sunday Business Program
Scottsdale, Ariz. – The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) today announced new strategies to collaborate for health, wellness and societal solutions as part of the “constant reinvention” of NACDS.
The NACDS “Future Value Targeting” initiative – which stands to benefit NACDS chain and associate members, diverse collaborators, and society – emerged as a central theme of remarks at an NACDS Annual Meeting business program. NACDS Chairman Martin Otto, H-E-B’s chief merchant and chief financial officer, who reflected on his one-year term as chairman, and NACDS President and CEO Steven C. Anderson, IOM, CAE, described the initiative.
NACDS Chairman Martin Otto of H-E-B reviewed the progress and outlook for pharmacy’s leadership on addressing health dilemmas and societal issues
“It has meant a lot to me personally to be able to discuss the need for comprehensive, end-to-end review of the healthcare delivery system, and to work with the NACDS Board of Directors and membership to position pharmacy as a major part of the solution to many challenges facing the nation,” Otto said.
“It is vital to pursue a more sustainable approach to healthcare delivery in ways that will make it possible to also address pressing issues in education, poverty, nutrition and more. From the existing and new issues that NACDS is advancing, to the collaboration that we are pursuing with other stakeholders, NACDS continues to make tremendous progress to affirm and advance pharmacy’s leadership role on a host of critical issues.”
Anderson described ways that NACDS is poised to help address these topics.
“NACDS Future Value Targeting is a strategic planning element that will supplement the already vitally important NACDS Strategic Plan. NACDS is intensely focused on doing the right things now to deliver return-on-investment for members into the future. We are focused on assessing this operating environment, and acting like a start-up and like a think-tank to do things in new ways to deliver for this amazing industry,” Anderson said.
“The conversations of the NACDS Board of Directors kept coming back to this: ‘how can we find additional common ground, with existing and new partners, to create immediate and long-term breakthroughs – for our businesses, for [ READ MORE ]
NACDS Lends Support to Preventive Health Savings Act Legislation provides a proactive, innovative approach to preventing chronic disease and reducing overall healthcare costs
Arlington, Va. – The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) today joined the Healthcare Leadership Council and other stakeholders in a letter to Congress supporting the anticipated reintroduction of the Preventive Health Savings Act in the 115th Congress. The legislation would keep an ongoing focus on wellness and disease prevention, leading to the improved health of Americans, while reducing healthcare costs and overall spending.
“This legislation would help to bring about this innovation by allowing projected savings to be taken into consideration when legislation is considered.”
The letter states that “the way in which the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) currently ‘scores’ legislation severely constrains the ability of policymakers to accurately assess legislation that would prevent chronic disease and promote behavioral health across the life-course.” During a time when healthcare costs are a primary concern, this legislation would be a step in the right direction toward containing costs and improving health outcomes.
“To improve Americans’ health and wellness and to improve the affordability of care, we need innovative strategies that will address chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, cancer and other conditions. This legislation would help to bring about this innovation by allowing projected savings to be taken into consideration when legislation is considered,” said NACDS President and CEO Steven C. Anderson, IOM, CAE.
Quantifying the long-term damage of unchecked chronic disease, the letter notes that those illnesses are responsible for seven out of 10 deaths among Americans each year, and they account for more than 80 percent of the $2.7 trillion our nation spends annually on medical care—statistics that will only worsen as the population ages.
The letter notes that “as the chronic disease epidemic continues to worsen,” there is an increased need for “legislation that will properly allow Congress to see the full savings of enacting prevention-focused measures.” The allied organizations lauded Congress’ continued efforts to support this kind of proactive healthcare legislation, and underscored a shared commitment to working collaboratively with Congress on public health efforts to achieve wellness and improved health among Americans.
NACDS Annual Meeting Features Global Security, Trade Experts Retired General John Allen, Former Dallas Fed Chief Richard W. Fisher to speak at Business Programs as their consequential issue areas play out on the world stage
Arlington, Va. – The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) Annual Meeting will present renowned speakers with unsurpassed experience in the nation’s global security and international trade engagement.
Retired Four-Star Marine General John Allen, who has served in pivotal leadership roles related to the Middle East and Asia, will speak at the Business Program on Sunday, April 23. Richard W. Fisher, who served as president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas from 2005 to 2015, will speak at the Business Program on Tuesday, April 25.
“General Allen and Richard Fisher helped to write the history that now serves as prologue for current events and for the future of the nation and of the world,” said NACDS President and CEO Steven C. Anderson, IOM, CAE. “Their remarks will give NACDS Annual Meeting attendees an unsurpassed geopolitical radar for the international and domestic dynamics that are developing right now. When you think about the nation’s relationships with the Middle East, Asia and other parts of the world, these are the people we need to hear from.”
“General Allen and Richard Fisher helped to write the history that now serves as prologue for current events and for the future of the nation and of the world.”
General Allen was appointed by President Obama as the first-ever special envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL. He also has served as deputy director of U.S. Central Command, and as the principal director of Asian and Pacific affairs for the Office of the Secretary Defense. On the ground, his leadership has shaped war efforts and outcomes, such as through successful efforts to persuade Sunni tribal leaders in Iraq to stand against al-Qaeda militants.
Fisher served as a member of the Federal Open Market Committee, as chairman of the Conference of Federal Reserve Bank Presidents, and as chairman of the IT Oversight Committee. Previously, he served as Deputy U.S. Trade Representative with the rank of Ambassador, responsible for U.S. trade policy and negotiations in Asia, Latin America, Mexico and Canada. He also served as vice chairman of the strategic advisory firm Kissinger McLarty Associates, in partnership with former Secretary [ READ MORE ]
NACDS, NCPA Urge Congress to Ensure Patient Access, Pharmacy Choice in TRICARE in 2018 Defense Bill Increased copays for TRICARE patients place undue financial burdens and impede access to care for military families and veterans
Washington, D.C. – The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) and the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) this week urged Congress to maintain access to care for military families and veterans as the legislative process begins for the FY2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
In a letter to House and Senate Armed Services Committee leadership that urged no further pharmacy copayment increases, NACDS and NCPA emphasized that TRICARE beneficiaries—especially veterans and families of active duty military—“are concerned about being able to access the services they need.”
“Copay increases place even greater financial burdens on TRICARE beneficiaries and unfairly penalize TRICARE beneficiaries who prefer to use local pharmacies,” NACDS and NCPA wrote. “Additionally, restricting beneficiary access and raising copay amounts can have the unintended effect of reducing medication adherence, resulting in decreased health outcomes and increased use of more costly medical interventions, such as physician and emergency room visits and hospitalizations. These additional costs are often shifted to other federal programs.”
NACDS and NCPA pointed to a report by the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission that strongly recommended policies that support patient choice and access. The organizations stated that when the Congressional Budget Office reviewed proposals for copay increases in prior Congresses, it concluded that the move would “result in an increase of over $1 billion in other federal spending for medical services, particularly in Medicare.”
NACDS and NCPA have remained highly engaged in efforts over the years to preserve pharmacy access and choice for TRICARE patients. In this week’s letter, the organizations urged Congress, as it considers policies to control Department of Defense spending, to avoid policies like copayment increases and instead support the implementation of the “Pilot Program for Prescription Drug Acquisition Cost Parity in the TRICARE Pharmacy Benefits Program.” The pilot program was included in the FY2017 NDAA and has the potential to reduce costs while also restoring TRICARE patient access to medications and services from their neighborhood pharmacies.
