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Democrats reopen debate on Medicare Part D
February 5th 2007The Democrats opened a new salvo in the battle over the Medicare drug benefit with the introduction of the Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act of 2007. The bill, which passed the House mostly along party lines, mandates that the Secretary of the Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) negotiate directly with drug companies over drug prices charged to prescription drug plans (PDPs). Still, the bill's future and how it will impact pharmacy remains unclear.
Democrats reopen debate on Medicare Part D
February 5th 2007The Democrats opened a new salvo in the battle over the Medicare drug benefit with the introduction of the Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act of 2007. The bill, which passed the House mostly along party lines, mandates that the Secretary of the Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) negotiate directly with drug companies over drug prices charged to prescription drug plans (PDPs). Still, the bill's future and how it will impact pharmacy remains unclear.
FDA grapples with curbing IL drug container errors
February 5th 2007Last July, an Institute of Medicine (IOM) report estimated that, on average, a hospital patient is subject to at least one medication error per day, although error rates vary by hospital and most do not lead to injury. The report urged the Food & Drug Administration to work with other agencies and healthcare providers to address drug labeling and packaging to minimize errors. In response to this recommendation, the FDA held a one-day public workshop last month to discuss how to improve the labeling of intravenous drug containers.
Viewpoint: Three ways to fight reduced reimbursement
February 5th 2007Independent and chain drugstore pharmacists have had to address a significant number of new issues during 2006, such as the launching of the Medicare Part D program and new demands on their professional time to assist customers. Perhaps the single most pressing issue facing R.Ph.s, however, is reimbursement. No other issue ignites more debate than how an insurance plan, government program, or patient reimburses pharmacists for their products/services. A growing number of pharmacies across the country are falling into debt, laying off workers, and facing closure due to inadequate reimbursement levels and slow payment. This article summarizes the reimbursement plight pharmacists find themselves in and reviews three attempts under way to help resolve this issue.
How will the minimum wage hike affect you?
February 5th 2007The House of Representatives recently passed a measure to increase the federal minimum wage to $7.25 an hour from its current rate of $5.15 an hour over a 26-month period. The Senate is expected to move swiftly to pass a similar measure. How will the hike affect chain and independent pharmacies?
FDA proposes new rules for investigational drugs
February 5th 2007The Food & Drug Administration recently proposed regulatory changes to make investigational drugs more widely and easily available to seriously ill patients with no other treatment options. The proposal also clarifies the circumstances and the costs for which a pharmaceutical company can charge for developmental drugs. The proposed regulations were published in the Dec. 14 issue of the Federal Register. They are described in detail at http://www.fda.gov/cder/regulatory/applications/IND_PR.htm and are open for comment for 90 days.
