If you are in the need of the complete listing of CMS's Non Matched NDC list, just call our offices & we can email to you --- I have it by NDC or drug description. It contains 6255 lines - you will a spread sheet program like Excel to open it.
|
Call your members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senators TODAY to promote Medicaid pharmacy reimbursements at no less than 175% of the weighted average AMP.
In 2010 Health Reform approaches a Conference Committee and a merging of Senate and House provisions. Tell your members to focus on assuring that the final health care reform bill protects the interests of community pharmacies so we can better serve our patients. AMP provisions must include a fair rate for pharmacy. Under current law, Medicaid would reimburse pharmacies 64 cents for each dollar the pharmacy pays for generic drugs, the Government Accountability Office previously estimated. Reimbursements below 175% of the average weighted AMP, the Senate standard, would be devastating to thousands of community pharmacies across the country and could jeopardize access to care for millions of patients.
Need help finding your elected officials? Click here or call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Call to Action
HB 882 - The Fair Audit Bill
Let's Get It Passed!
|
|
Action Needed:
The Pennsylvania legislature is in recess until the end of January. Now is the perfect time to visit your representative in their home district office and urge their support of HB 882 - the fair audit bill. Only members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives need to be contacted on this bill at this time; not Senators.
Currently the bill has been assigned to the Appropriations Committee. If your legislator sits on this committee, (see the list below or use the link), it is especially important that you contact him/her as we must get this committee to vote it out of the committee and send it to the House floor for a full vote.
Provide the Issue Brief as a leave behind on your visit. If you can not visit in person, please call, send a letter, or email. It is extremely important that contact be made with all House members but especially those on the Appropriations Committee and this is the best time to do it.
Background: This bill has already been voted out of the House Health and Human Services Committee. PPA has been actively working this issue. We are sending letters to all members of the Appropriations Committee again and are working on scheduling visits with most of them when they are back in session at the end of the month. Your contact will back up our efforts nicely and be more effective.
|
|
Appropriations Committee Members:
|
|
(You can also go to the committee link above and click on the members name for contact information)
|
|
Thank you! We are hopeful that by working together - our efforts can pay off.
|
|
Opposition: It is important to remember that the Department of Public Welfare is claiming that this will cost the state's Medicaid program considerable money. Unfortunately, this argument will weigh heavily given the challenging state budget and economic times. However, a couple good come-backs are:
- Why is it right that the state use money to which I am rightfully and fairly entitled for providing a service and necessary medications to Medicaid patients?
- In Florida, similar legislation has been in place for the Medicaid program for years and they have made it work.
- Just how much money, is the state unfairly taking from pharmacies?
And remember we are not against audits. They are necessary to prevent real fraud. We are asking for fair and uniform standards, both in Medicaid and all the private payers. If the right person, gets the right medication as prescribed, at the right time - why should pharmacies not be paid for providing this? Thank you for responding. Together we can make this happen. Please let PPA know about your contacts and any information you receive.
|
|
Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association
508 North Third Street
Harrisburg, PA 17101
717-234-16151 Fax: 717-236-1618
www.papharmacists.com
ppa@papharmacists.com
|
|