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Picture this. A man walks into a pharmacy to buy condoms. He hopes he can quickly whisk them from the shelf and pay for them without attracting attention. But ... they are locked up in a case along with the razor blade cartridge replacements. A note on the cabinet states, "Please ask attendant for assistance for items in this case."

What is Medicare Part D? What is the coverage gap? What's the best way to manage spending to delay or avoid reaching the coverage gap? What should seniors do if they are in the coverage gap? What medication options exist?

Legislation to mandate government negotiation on Medicare Part D drug prices has now passed the U.S. House of Representatives and been introduced in the Senate. And the debate has intensified across Washington. At a recent think tank session, Gerard Anderson, Ph.D., a health finance expert who has worked with Congressional Democrats, called for a law to let the government "trust in the markets, but make sure that they are working."

Seeking to provide hard data on the efficacy and impact of medication therapy management (MTM) sessions, a Florida Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) is studying the MTM results of Humana and AvMed Medicare patients in that state. The Florida Medicare Quality Improvement Organization (FMQAI) is working with the two prescription drug plans (PDPs) and pharmacists to set up the programs and educate patients and will publish its results in late 2007. FMQAI is the third-largest QIO in the country and has the second-largest beneficiary population.

On average, people who have a first cancer have a 14% higher risk of a subsequent primary cancer than the general population, according to a major monograph just released by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The report, "New malignancies among cancer survivors," looks at two million cancer survivors over a nearly 30-year period and is called "by far the largest study to date of subsequent cancers."

The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and the American Thoracic Society (ATS) recently released guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). These guidelines are the first collaborative effort between these two organizations on CAP guidelines. IDSA last updated its CAP guidelines in 2003.

New data from an innovative head-to-head phase II study of Abraxane (paclitaxel protein-bound particles for injectable suspension [albumin bound], Abraxis BioScience) versus standard Taxotere (docetaxel, Sanofi-Aventis) showed that weekly Abraxane boosted the tumor response rate by more than 60% over Taxotere given every three weeks in first-line treatment of metastatic breast cancer.

According to recent results from a Crohn's and Colitis Foundation study, 65% of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) are poorly compliant with their medication. Now, a new therapy for the condition with once-daily dosing may offer patients a better chance for compliance. In January, the Food & Drug Administration approved Lialda, from Shire plc. Lialda is a delayed-release mesalamine product that utilizes MMX technology, a pH-dependent gastro-resistant coating that delays the release of the medication until it reaches the colon, the site of the inflammation in UC.

When it comes to the cost of dispensing medications and the dispensing fee paid by Medicaid, a new study confirms the bad news that many pharmacists already know. The national average cost of dispensing medications is $10.50 per prescription, not including the cost of the medicine, according to The Cost of Dispensing, a national study released recently by the Coalition for Community Pharmacy Action (CCPA). The coalition is an alliance between the National Association of Chain Drug Stores and the National Community Pharmacists Association.

More than 1.6 million physicians, pharmacists, and healthcare companies have registered for the new National Provider Identifier (NPI) numbers, but experts warn that time is quickly running out. Although the date of the switchover for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is May 23, officials at CMS and the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs (NCPDP) are urging pharmacists to be prepared by March 1 to ensure a smooth transition. And some payers, such as the state of Delaware, are requiring NPIs even before the May 23 deadline.

Dual eligibles sue Part D