News

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Pharmacy News (click on the links below)

• Getting Married for Health Insurance?
  
  
• Sen. McCain Details Plan to Solve Healthcare Crisis
  
  
• Kaiser Family Foundation Poll: "Economic Problems Facing Families"
  
  
• Generic Market Heats Up as Patents Expire
  
  
• Drug Patent Expirations for 2008 and 2009
  
  
• Top 200 Generic Drugs by Dollars for 2007
  
  
• Association of American Medical Colleges Calls for Ban on Medical Giveaways
  
  
• Wal-Mart to Step Into PBM Arena
  
  
• CMS Reports State-by-State Medicaid Pharmacy Reimbursement Rates (ingredient costs and dispensing fees)
  
  
• House Challenges Bush on Medicaid Rules
  
  
• Part D Analysis - Mixed Reviews
  
  
• GAO Critical of FDA's Oversight of Foreign Drugs
  
  
• FDA Says it Needs $225 for Foreign Inspections
  
  
• What's the Impact of Walmart's $4 Generic Drug Plan?
  
  
• Court Allows Generic Version of Pepcid Complete
  
  
• Bill Advances to Suspend Medicaid Cost-Shifting Until New President is Elected
  
  
• Airports Opening Walk-in Clinics and Pharmacies
  
  
• Online Pharmacies Addressed by Passage of Senate Bill 980
  (for APhA analysis click here)
  
  
• Senate Bill 980 - the legislation
  
  
• Pharmacy Technician Legislation
  
  
• State-by-State Comparison of Healthcare Quality (AHRQ)
  
  
• How Does Your State's Healthcare Quality Compare to Other States? (follow this link and click on your state)
  
  
• Suicidal Thoughts -- FDA Looks into Singulair
  
  
• Will FDA Deadlines Compromise Drug Safety?
  
  
• CMS Issues "Tamper Proof" Update for April 1st Implementation
  
  
• Missouri May Place More Restrictions on Prescriptions
  
  
• States "Counter-Detail" Prescription Drugs
  
  
• Harris Poll Describes Patients' Views of Prescription Drugs
  
  
• TennCare Issues Directive for Tamper Resistant Prescription Pad Requirements for April 1st
  
  
• Pay for Pharmacy Performance?
  
  
• Governors Oppose New Medicaid Regulations
  
  
• CMS Says Medicare Spending to Surge
  
  
• National Health Expenditure Projections 2007 - 2017 -Full Report
  
  
• FDA Warns Minnesota City about Drug Importation from Canada
  
  
• Are Medicare Advantage Plans Less Expensive?
  
  
• ATT and Tennessee Create Medical Information Exchange
  
  
• HHS Boss Calls for Mandatory Electronic Prescribing for Medicare Patients
  
  
• Drug Prices Surge Despite Presidential Candidates' Criticisms
  
  
• GAO Report - Number of Primary Care Physicians is Down
  
  
• Full GAO Report on Primary Care Physician Trends
  
  
• Generics Capture 65% of U.S. Market
  
  
• Good Neighbor Pharmacy Endows Chair at University of the Pacific
  
  
• West Virginia Tops List in Per Capita Prescription Drug Use
  
  
• CMS Letter to Part D Plans Regarding PA Requirements
  
  
• Merck to Pay Over $600 Million in Medicaid Settlement
  
  
• CMS Press Release on Part D Costs
  
  
• Meth Labs Rising Again in Missouri
  
  
• Medicare Enrollment Up, Costs Down
  
  
• South Carolina Petitions CMS to Increase Medicaid Dispensing Fee from $4.05 to $9.94
  
  
• Pharmacy Groups Respond to OIG Medicare Part D Drug Payment Study
  
  
• Medicare Drug Benefit Fuels 6.7% increase in Healthcare Spending in 2006
  
  
• Medicare Drug Payment Study from OIG
  
  
• Do Medicare Drug Payments Cover Pharmacy's Cost?
  
  
• MO HealthNet MTM Bulletin
  
  
• During 2007, FDA Approves fewest new drugs since 1983
  
  
• FDA Considers Easing Off-Label Rules
  
  
• Medicare Spends Billions for Products That Could be Purchased Cheaper at Retail Pharmacies
  
  
• Healthcare and Iraq Dominate Democrats' Issues
  
  
• 40 Million Americans Cannot Afford Health Insurance
  
  
• High Prescription Prices? ---- It Pays to Shop Around
  
  
• Seniors Weigh Options on Medicare Drug Benefit
  
  
• NIPC Board Member, Dr. Richard Logan, Works with Scott County Task Force to Combat Prescription Drug Abuse
  
  
• PBM Laws by State
  
  
• PBM Legislative Activity by State
  
  
• NCPA Statement on House Judiciary Committee's Approval of H.R.971
  
  
• H.R. 971 - Let Your Legislators Know How You Feel About Fair Treatment of Pharmacies
  
  
• The Medicaid Burden on Emergency Rooms
  
  
• H.R. 971 - The Bill
  
  
• Medicare Part D Drug Premiums Rise for 2008
  
  
• Healthcare for Iraq Veterans May Top 650 Billion Dollars
  
  
• Court Rules Pharmacists May Deny Plan B
  
  
• Pharmacist Supply Projections
  
  
• Medicare to Pay Docs more for E-Health Records
  
  
• Number of Uninsured Vets Nears 2 Million
  
  
• FDA Board Votes to Keep Avandia on the Market
  
  
• Kids Get Inadequate Healthcare?
  
  
• Medicare Drug Plans by State for 2008
  
  
• E-Prescribing Increases Number of Prescriptions Filled
  
  
• Kaiser Compares Healthcare Policies for Presidential Candidates
  
  
• "The Link" - Pharmacy Critical Information from AmerisourceBergen
  
  
• Community Care Rx (CCRx) Announcements for 2008 Plan
  
  
• MTM Means Fundamental Change
  
  
• Microsoft Offers Free HealthVault for Patient Records
  
  
• Medicaid Spending Jumps
  
  
• NAPLEX Reinstated on October 5, 2007
  
  
• FDA Considers Third Drug Category
  
  
• Program Gives Pharmacists More Clout in Patient Care
  
  
• FDA Targets unapproved versions of hydrocodone
  
  
• Senate and House Pass Delay of Tamper Resistant Rx Pads Implementation Date for 6 Months, President Signs Legislation
  
  
• Tamper Resistant Legislation - Senate Bill 2085 Passes - Click here to see the bill
  
  
• Tamper Resistant Legislation - House Bill 3668 Passes - Click here to see the bill
  
  
• MTM Programs Continue to Evolve
  
  
• Raewyn Tamer is Awarded the NCPA Foundation's Presidential Scholarship - Congratulations!
  
  
• NCPA Issues Tamper Resistant Prescription Pad Fact Sheet
  
  
• Tamper Resistant Law May Hurt Medicaid Patients
  
  
• FDA Approves FluMist for Children Ages 2 to 5
  
  
• King Seeks Rehearing on Altace Patent
  
  
• Health Insurance Premiums Pass Inflation
  
  
• Roche Sues Teva over generic Boniva
  
  
• Do Medicare Spending Caps cause Seniors to Stop Meds?
  
  
• Doctors Offering No-Interest Loans to Patients
  
  
• Judge Certifies Class Action Lawsuit Against McKesson
  
  
• U.S. Chamber of Commerce Supports H.R. 3140 from Rep. Boyda and Rep. Emerson and S. 1951 from Sen. Baucus to FIX AMP
  
  
• States Look at Health Care Reform
  
  
• AMA Proposal for Expanding Health Insurance
  
  
• Senate Bill S. 1951 from Sen. Baucus to "fix" AMP
  
  
• Cosponsor List for H.R.3140 grows
  
  
• FDA to Study Impact of Direct-to-Consumer Ads
  
  
• Pain Medicine Use has Nearly Doubled
  
  
• Implications of Benzodiazepine Exclusion under Medicare Part D
  
  
• AMA Touts Plan for Uninsured Americans
  
  
• CMS Outlines Grievance Procedures for Part D
  
  
• HHS Targets Fraudulent Infusion Therapy Providers
  
  
• Medicare Elderly Pay High Cost for Drugs
  
  
• Former Senator Frist Reinvents Himself as a Health Activist
  
  
• Medicare Drug Coverage under Parts A, B and D
  
  
• Google and Microsoft Look to Improve Health Care
  
  
• Better Ways to Pay Providers
  
  
• Pharmaceutical Promotion Spending Grows
  
  
• Missouri's unused prescription drug plan has few participants
  
  
• NCPA Strongly Supports Sen. Baucus' AMP Legislation
  
  
• Publix Free Antibiotic Offer has Flip Side
  
  
• Is the FDA Doing its Job?
  
  
• Health Care Costs and Their Impact - A Report from the Kaiser Family Foundation
  
  
• U.S. Appeals Court Denies Test Drugs to Dying Patients
  
  
• Rep. Boyda's AMP Legislation - H.R. 3140
  
  
• Rep. Nancy Boyda (D-KS) enters AMP "Fix" Bill - H.R.3140 TALKING POINTS and BILL FEATURES
  
  
• Senate Introduces "Prompt Pay" Legislation (S.1954)
  
  
• Cosponsors for H.R. 3140 (as of 8.18.07)
  
  
• NIPC AMP Talking Points for Pharmacists (H.R.3140)
  
  
• NACDS Supports H.R. 3140
  
  
• Medicare Part D Plan Boosts Drug Sales
  
  
• NACDS Applauds Sen. Baucus for Fair Medicaid Drug Payment Act of 2007
  
  
• U.S. Congressional House Panel Rebukes CMS for AMP Rule
  
  
• Pharmacists - Reaction to AMP
  
  
• APhA - Reaction to AMP
  
  
• CCPA (Coalition for Community Pharmacy Action) - Reaction to AMP
  
  
• Washington Analysis - Reaction to AMP
  
  
• Morgan Stanley - Reaction to AMP
  
  
• Office of Inspector General's AMP Report
  
  
• Government Accountability Office AMP Report
  
  
• CMS Denies Louisiana Medicaid's Dispensing Fee Increase
  
  
• Study Says: Higher Copays Don't Save Employers Money
  
  
• Medicaid Pharmacy Reimbursement and Services for all states (Kaiser Family Foundation)
  
  
• The End of AWP?
  
  
• AmerisourceBergen Announces New Pharmacy Platform
  
  
• Member Profile: Wearing a Badge of Pharmacy Honor
  Richard Logan, PharmD
  L & S Pharmacy
  Charleston, Missouri
  
  
• Kaiser Family Foundation Opens Information Hub for Healthcare and Presidential Campaign Information
  
  
• OxyContin Executives Spared Prison
  
  
• Are Pharmacists Overworked?
  
  
• Community MTM Renamed Mirixa
  
  
• Office of Inspector General (OIG) Report on AMP and FUL - The Impact of AMP changes on Pharmacies
  
  
• Medicare Spending and Financing
  
  
• FDA Scrutiny Scant in China and India as Drugs Pour into the United States
  
  
• Wall Street Bullish on Big Pharma
  
  
• CDC Says almost 15% of U.S. is Uninsured
  
  
• Health Insurance Coverage and Access to Care for Non-Citizen Adults
  
  
• Ranbaxy to Manufacture and Market Amlodipine Besylate Tablets
  
  
• NPI Update 9/2007
  
  
• NPI Compliance Guide
  
  
• NPI Application Form
  
  
• Where Immigration and Healthcare Collide
  
  
• NPI update from CMS - NPI is Here - Find NPI Information
  
  
• Medicare Part D Prior Authorization Requirements
  
  
• Updating 2007 and 2008 Medicare Part D Formularies
  
  
• Skimping on Drug Benefits Doesn't Pay
  
  
• Businesses Help Workers to get in shape
  
  
• AMA wants Probe of Drug Store Clinics
  
  
• South Lags in Report Card on Healthcare
  
  
• Medical Homes Promote Equity in Healthcare
  
  
• States Vary greatly in Healthcare
  
  
• Profile of a Small Town Pharmacy
  
  
• Storing Medical Info Under Your Skin
  
  
• FDA Approves First Fibromyalgia Treatment
  
  
• Echinacea Helps Prevent Colds?
  
  
• Texas Sues Drug Makers over Medicaid Payments
  
  
• Shire's Non-Stimulant Treatment for ADHD receives FDA Approvable Letter (INTUNIV)
  
  
• High Court refuses to hear case on Tamoxifen pricing
  
  
• U.S. Court Rejects Novartis Motion on Famvir Patent Case
  
  
• Protease Inhibitor Rapidly Inhibits Hepatitis C RNA Replication
  
  
• Pharma Marketing News - May 2007
  
  
• Pharma Marketing News - June 2007
  
  
• Pharma Marketing News - Summer 2007
  
  
• Pharma Marketing News - September 2007
  
  
• Pharma Marketing News - October 2007
  
  
• Pharma Marketing News - November-December 2007
  
  
• Pharma Marketing News - January 2008
  
  
• Pharma Marketing News - February 2008
  
  
  

Legislative Updates

• H.R. 5780 - Right Thought, But A Bad Bill for Pharmacy
  
  
• Independent Pharmacists Urge Legislators to Pass Bill to Allow Pharmacies to Collaborate on Negotiations with PBMs
  
  
• PBM Laws by State
  
  
• PBM Legislative Activity by State
  
  
• NCPA Statement on House Judiciary Committee's Approval of H.R.971
  
  
• H.R. 971 - The Bill
  
  
• Senate and House Pass Delay of Tamper Resistant Rx Pads Implementation Date for 6 Months, President Signs Legislation
  
  
• Senate Bill S. 1951 from Sen. Baucus to "fix" AMP
  
  
• U.S. Chamber of Commerce Supports H.R. 3140 from Rep. Boyda and Rep. Emerson and S. 1951 from Sen. Baucus to FIX AMP
  
  
• Rep. Nancy Boyda (D-KS) enters AMP "Fix" Bill - H.R.3140 TALKING POINTS and BILL FEATURES
  
  
• Senator Bob Corker (R-TN) - Press Release - "Every American Insured Health Act"
  
  
• House OKs Prescription Drug Imports
  
  
• H.R. 976 - Tamper Resistant Prescription Pad Amendment
  
  
• Cosponsors for H.R. 3140 (as of 9.26.07)
  
  
• NIPC AMP Talking Points for Pharmacists
  
  
• Senate Introduces "Prompt Pay" Legislation (S.1954)
  
  
• National Politics - Top Issue is Iraq, Healthcare is Next
  
  
• House Passes Drug Safety Overhaul
  
  
• Congressman Jim Cooper (TN) signs on as cosponsor of H.R. 1474
  
  
• The Bill - Prompt Pay - H.R. 1474
  
  
• H.R. 971 - Support the Community Pharmacy Fairness Act
  
  
• H.R. 971 - The Bill
  
  
• H.R. 971 - Thank Congressman Steve Cohen (TN) and all these Cosponsors
  
  
• Drug Safety Legislation
  
  
• Anti-Epileptic drug interchange requirements in Tennessee - Public Chapter 370
  
  
  
  
• NIPC Pharmacy News May 2007
  
  
• NIPC Pharmacy News June 2007
  
  
• NIPC Pharmacy News July 2007
  
  
• NIPC Pharmacy News July 2007 vol.2