Pharmaceutical Care Management Association

S. 867 Would Undermine the Bipartisan National Fight Against Fraud, Waste, and Abuse WASHINGTON, May 9, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Legislation (The Medicare Prescription Drug Program Integrity and Transparency Act, S. 867) championed by the independent drugstore lobby would undermine the ability of Medicare Part D plans and pharmacy benefit managers ... read more

WASHINGTON, May 6, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As policymakers examine ways to reduce health care costs, a recent study finds that the vast majority of prescription medication waste in Medicare Part D occurs at local drugstores, not mail-service pharmacies. Mail-service pharmacy prescriptions account for just 0.02% of "waste" in Medicare ... read more

WASHINGTON, May 2, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As policymakers seek new ways to reduce costs in the expanding Medicaid program - which is jointly financed by state and federal taxpayers - a new report estimates that upgrading management of drug benefits in the program could save $74.4 billion without cutting either ... read more

New Regulations Could Increase Prescription Drug Costs $1.7 Billion WASHINGTON, March 26, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As the Oklahoma drugstore lobby launches new attacks seeking to undermine tools used by pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to lower prescription drug costs, the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) released a new ad campaign defending ... read more

National Center for Policy Analysis Warns Policymakers of Costly, Unintended Consequences WASHINGTON, March 20, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Federal and state policymakers should avoid enacting laws that undermine payers' ability to use mail-service pharmacies, preferred pharmacy networks, and other innovative pharmacy benefit management (PBM) tools, the National Center for Policy ... read more

GAO Report: PSAOs Effective Negotiator for Independent Drugstores WASHINGTON, March 15, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The independent drugstore lobby is again seeking special antitrust exemptions (HR 1188) that would empower independent drugstores to charge consumers, employers, unions, and government agencies higher prescription drug prices, the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) said ... read more

National Center for Policy Analysis Warns Policymakers of Costly, Unintended Consequences WASHINGTON, March 12, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Oklahoma policymakers should avoid enacting laws that undermine payers' ability to use mail-service pharmacies, preferred pharmacy networks, and other innovative pharmacy benefit management (PBM) tools, the National Center for Policy Analysis ... read more

New Regulations Could Increase Prescription Drug Costs $147 Million WASHINGTON, March 5, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As the Oregon drugstore lobby launches new attacks seeking to undermine tools used by pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to lower prescription drug costs, the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) released a new ad campaign defending the ... read more

Only 1% Wastage, For Reasons Unrelated to Drugstore or Mail-Service Pharmacy Dispensing WASHINGTON, March 5, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In Medicare Part D, only 1% of dispensed medication is not taken by patients, mainly due to changes in therapy and other issues unrelated to whether a drugstore or a mail-service pharmacy dispensed ... read more

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) today announced the appointment of Wendy Krasner as the association's new Vice President of Regulatory Affairs. One of Washington's preeminent health care regulatory experts, Ms. Krasner brings over 30 years of experience to PCMA, including working ... read more

Legislative Proposals Backed by Drugstores Undermine the Bipartisan National Fight against Fraud and Abuse WASHINGTON, Feb. 27, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health examines preventing waste, fraud, and abuse in the health care system during a Congressional hearing today, the independent drugstore ... read more

Drugstore Lobby 'Power Grab' Hits Legal Roadblock WASHINGTON, Feb. 26, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Facing a lawsuit alleging violations of federal law, the Mississippi Board of Pharmacy (BoP) reversed course and rescinded a proposed regulation that would have imposed unprecedented - and costly - new fiduciary mandates on pharmacy ... read more

Regulators Reject Expensive 'Protected Class' Approach in the Exchanges WASHINGTON, Feb. 20, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) released the following statement today on the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Essential Health Benefits (EHB) final rule: "Regulators rejected the 'protected class' approach that shields ... read more

Bipartisan Coalition Calls Home Delivery a Convenient, Cost Effective Option for TRICARE, Medicare, and Medicaid Beneficiaries WASHINGTON, Feb. 13, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In a letter to United States Postmaster General and Chief Executive Officer Patrick Donahoe, 88 members of the United States House of Representatives urged the Post Office to continue ... read more

Letting the 'Fox Guard the Henhouse' Hurts Employers, Consumers WASHINGTON, Feb. 12, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- New special interest legislation (H.B. 2100) championed by the Oklahoma drugstore lobby could increase prescription drug costs $1.7 billion for the state's employers, seniors, state employee plans, unions, and consumers, the Pharmaceutical Care ... read more

Drugmakers Take on Employers, Patients Who Want Lower Health Care Costs WASHINGTON, Jan. 31, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Some biotech drug manufacturers are lobbying state legislators to restrict access to biosimilar (or biogeneric) versions of expensive brand medications, the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) said today. Such proposals ... read more

More Pharmacies in U.S. than McDonald's, Wendy's, KFCs, Burger Kings Combined WASHINGTON, Jan. 28, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial health plans explore new ways to reduce costs, a new study finds that the extraordinary number of pharmacies in the United States offers an opportunity to save $115 billion ... read more

PCMA: Remove Barriers Restricting Seniors' Access to Mail in Medicare Part D WASHINGTON, Jan. 24, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A drugstore lobby poll finds by a 3-1 margin (51-17), that seniors agree mail-service pharmacies cost less than community drugstores, raising questions as to why Medicare Part D restricts the use of 90-day ... read more

PCMA: Oregon Drugstore Lobby Agenda Seeking to Undermine Savings WASHINGTON, Jan. 23, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As health care costs continue to spike, the Oregon drugstore lobby is pushing for laws and regulations that undermine the ability of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to save Oregon consumers, businesses, unions, and Medicare seniors ... read more

PCMA: Oregon Drugstore Lobby Agenda Seeking to Undermine Savings WASHINGTON, Jan. 23, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As health care costs continue to spike, the Oregon drugstore lobby is pushing for laws and regulations that undermine the ability of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to save Oregon consumers, businesses, unions, and Medicare seniors ... read more