Preserving Access to Diabetes Testing Supplies at Community Pharmacies

By Kevin Schweers

Community pharmacists on the front lines can be very powerful advocates for their profession and their patients by offering first-hand account. For example, a Montana pharmacist recently wrote what could be considered a model letter to U.S. Senator Jon Tester (D-Mont.), articulately making the case for Congress to act to allow small pharmacies to continue providing diabetes testing supplies to seniors.

Is CVS Caremark Protecting Patient Privacy? The Answer is Blowing in the Wind

By John Coster, RPh, PhD

CVS Caremark claims to have strict waste disposal policies at its retail pharmacies, including the shredding of private patient information and prescriptions.  In fact, New York City residents, especially local CVS customers, recently experienced the opposite: their private information was found blowing in the streets of the East Side of Manhattan, the Daily News reported.

NCPA’s Annual Convention Gives Community Pharmacies an Edge

By Kevin Schweers

Between CVS Caremark, health care reform, mandatory mail order – you name it – there’s no shortage of challenges or opportunities for independent community pharmacists. The NCPA Annual Convention and Trade Exposition is the community pharmacist’s best chance to trade ideas with colleagues, discover a new niche service, and learn about how pharmacy’s biggest and growing customer – the government – will impact the bottom line in health care reform and other areas.

CVS Caremark Practices Draw Unprecedented Media Scrutiny

The CVS Caremark-Walgreens standoff has brought more attention to questions about CVS Caremark’s business practices than any time since CVS revealed in November that it was the subject of a Federal Trade Commission or since NCPA met with the FTC one year ago to ask for an investigation.

CVS Caremark, FTC Investigation Still Hot Topics in Washington

CVS Caremark has been battered by Walgreens and Wall Street this week and Washington hasn’t exactly forgotten about the multiple state and federal investigations into the company’s business practices, either.  

Another CVS Caremark Bait and Switch?

The recent report by The Wall Street Journal that CVS Caremark’s Medicare Part D prescription drug plans have been charging seniors more than the company said it would fits a familiar pattern.

Rx Drug Disposal Programs a Hit with Community Pharmacies, Patients

By Kevin Schweers

First, 800+ community pharmacies helped launch the “Dispose My Meds” prescription drug disposal program during Earth Week. Now, more local pharmacies are signing up and data is emerging on how much has been collected.