Looking to Pharmacy’s Future in Accountable Care Organizations

By Kevin Schweers

The final rule that will guide the establishment of the much-anticipated Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) was recently released and it includes several pro-patient, pro-pharmacy changes sought by NCPA to help ensure pharmacists are properly utilized.

Representatives Schock, Welch Advocate for Medicare Diabetes Patients, Community Pharmacists

By John Coster, RPh, PhD

One of the cost-saving solutions NCPA has put forward to the Congressional deficit “super-committee” is that lawmakers pass H.R. 1936, The Medicare Access to Diabetes Supplies Act. Recently, the bill’s sponsors took that message straight to the super-committee and their efforts should be lauded.

Medco Chief Slights Community Pharmacists after Brief Embrace

By Kevin Schweers

Did Halloween come early to Franklin Lakes, N.J.? How else can one explain the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde performance of Medco’s CEO embracing community pharmacists before Congress only to subjugate them below robots days later?

Ex-Governors to Pharmacists: Engage in Your State’s Political Process to Shape Medicaid, Health Reform

By Kevin Schweers

Two respected, former Governors spoke fondly this week of their first-hand experience with the services of independent community pharmacists and urged pharmacists to take an active, solution-oriented role in the political process to help preserve patient access to community pharmacies.

Pharmacy Has Paid Their Fair Share

By John Coster

As the November 23 deadline approaches for the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction to identify $1.2 trillion in savings over the next decade, its members are faced with an unenviable task. However, as these lawmakers seek new budget cuts, they should not overlook the fact that small business community pharmacies have given their fair share over the last several years.

NCPA CEO Talks Up Community Pharmacy, Advocacy, and Medication Adherence in Convention Address

By Kevin Schweers

NCPA Executive Vice President and CEO B. Douglas Hoey, RPh, MBA looked back on his first year as CEO and gave independent community pharmacists a preview of some “coming attractions” in his address Monday morning to the 113^th Annual Convention and Trade Exposition.

NCPA Convention Kicks Off with President’s Address, Medicare Chief, Former Gov. Huckabee

By Kevin Schweers

Three excellent pharmacy speeches jumpstarted NCPA’s 113^th Annual Convention & Trade Exposition in Nashville this morning.

Pharmacy Students Impress at NCPA Business Plan Competition

By Kevin Schweers

There are many “must” events at the NCPA Annual Convention and Trade Exposition and the Good Neighbor Pharmacy National Community Pharmacists Association’s (NCPA) Pruitt-Schutte Student Business Plan Competition ranks right up there. In an exciting, live competition the finalists – three teams of pharmacy students – pitch a panel of judges on their team’s plan to start or purchase an independent community pharmacy.

Pharmacists Can Play A Key Role in the Fight Against Drug Diversion

By John Coster, RPh., Ph.D.

NCPA commends the U. S. Senate for recently adopting a resolution designating October 2011 as “National Medicine Abuse Awareness Month” to raise attention to the problem of prescription medicine abuse, especially by teenagers.