NACDS today submitted a statement to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means for the hearing titled “The Cost of Rising Prescription Drug Prices.”
NACDS and the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) today lauded 24 patient and consumer groups for advocating for pharmacy direct and indirect remuneration (DIR) fee reform.
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
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 legislation will prevent restrictions on pharmacists’ ability to tell patients when they can save money on prescriptions by paying cash instead of using insurance. Meanwhile, NACDS positions DIR fee reform as another crucial issue for lowering out-of-pocket drug costs.
The Patient Right to Know Drug Prices Act (S. 2554) is part of the effort to empower pharmacists to help patients lower out-of-pocket drug costs.
The bills would make it easier for Medicare patients to save money on prescription drugs.
NACDS has submitted comments to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar in response to the agency’s request-for-information on drug-pricing public policy issues.
NACDS RxIMPACT pharmacy advocates are urging Senators to sign a letter to U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar that is being led by Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT).
CMS signals potential action on DIR fee reform, takes action on NACDS-backed strategy to help address opioid abuse epidemic.
