Below-cost reimbursements, exclusionary Medicare drug plans concern community pharmacists

A recent survey revealed that below-cost reimbursements for some generics and Medicare drug plans that exclude community pharmacies are the top concerns of members of the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA).

Medicare Part D networks top NCPA legislative agenda

NCPA surveyed 590 pharmacists/owners online between November 2014 and January 2015, asking its members to identify what the organizations 2015 priorities should be.

“As a member organization, NCPA aligns its efforts and resources with the issues that are most important to the community pharmacists that it serves,” said NCPA President John T. Sherrer, RPh, co-owner of Kenmar Pharmacy and Poole's Pharmacy in Marietta, Ga. “These results are consistent with the anecdotal conversations that I and other NCPA officers have regularly with community pharmacy owners. In particular, the topics of ensuring reasonable reimbursement for generic drugs and greater patient choice of pharmacy are vital to sustain continued patient access to community pharmacies and the unparalleled service and medication expertise that they provide.”

In addition to the below-cost reimbursements and exclusionary Medicare policies, the pharmacists identified Medicaid payment calculations payments to pharmacies, provider status for pharmacists, and small business tax reform as major issues.

NCPA also asked pharmacists to prioritize other areas in which the association should be basing its efforts. Those responses included creating pharmacy pay-for-performance networks, developing programs to help diversify pharmacy revenues, offering programs on Star Ratings, and sharing information about pharmacy innovations.