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Pharmacist salaries are still climbing, but at a slower rate. Our exclusive survey shows who gets top dollar.

A new specialty certification may be on the horizon. The Board of Pharmaceutical Specialties (BPS) could offer ambulatory care certification as early as 2008. "BPS got the ball rolling, but we have not committed to the development of this specialty," said BPS executive director Richard Bertin. "It is up to the profession to present arguments, pro and con, before that decision can be made."

As many pharmacists are aware, all Medicare Part D plans must offer medication therapy management (MTM) to assist beneficiaries who (1) have multiple chronic diseases, (2) take multiple medications, and (3) are likely to spend more than $4,000 on medications annually. MTM services are intended to promote patient understanding about medication use, increase adherence to drug regimens, and detect drug-related problems.

The National Community Pharmacists Association is warning that implementation of a proposed rule for reimbursement for generic drugs through Medicaid may result in many pharmacies pulling out of the program or going out of business. Citing the results of a recent Government Accountability Office study and its own internal polling of members, Bruce Roberts, NCPA executive VP/CEO, warned that under the new rule patients would face a "serious danger of losing access to lifesaving prescriptions. What we're faced with is not a natural disaster but a public policy disaster."