https://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/UCM625884.htm?utm_campaign=111518_Statement_FDA%20Commissioner%20statement%20on%20proposals%20to%20address%20youth%20tobacco%20use&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Eloqua

https://whyy.org/articles/philly-may-require-all-pharmacies-to-stock-overdose-reversal-drug-naloxone/  

https://www.drugchannels.net/2018/11/express-scripts-launches-new-formulary.html

Attached is a flyer showing how Independents are being paid compared to the major chains…. All I can say is WOW! Show this to your PSAO – can they explain the difference in reimbursement? On this one Rx for Quetiapine…

As you have already heard the Department of Justice has approved both the CVS/Aetna & Cigna/ESI mergers. A few members have already called me to VENT – now I would like you all to VENT to the proper people within…

The Auditor General, Eugene DePasquale, held his second hearing on the questionable business practices of PBMs in Delaware County on September 12, 2018 The Auditor General in his press conference stated he “is committed to looking into the PBM practices,…

http://www2.philly.com/philly/business/rutgers-profs-as-boomers-age-small-business-owners-get-new-incentive-to-sell-to-employees-20180815.html?__vfz=medium%3Dsharebar

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/do-prescription-drug-middlemen-help-keep-prices-high

Keystone Pharmacy Purchasing Alliance pharmacists receive $50 off when you register and use the promo code BUY50.  Open to owner/managers and staff pharmacists only. Register + Book your hotel at www.ncpanet.org/convention It’s where ideas are born!  The programming is peer-led with…

HARRISBURG (June 13, 2018) – Auditor General Eugene DePasquale today said he is launching a review to bring transparency and accountability to prescription drug pricing in Pennsylvania. The result will be a special report focused on practices by pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs),…

  To renew their pharmacist licenses, pharmacists are required to complete pharmacist continuing education approved by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) or by the Pennsylvania State Board of Pharmacy (Board).  Of the total 30 contact hours that pharmacists…

PARD’s Mel Brodsky has something to say about the gag rule: http://6abc.com/health/troubleshooters-pharmacist-gag-rule/3493881/

Mary Hawley takes the widely used drug Humira for her rheumatoid arthritis. It can cost tens of thousands of dollars a year, but for nearly a decade Hawley has been assisted with discount coupons from the drug’s manufacturer, AbbVie.  “You…

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning that the medicine lamotrigine (Lamictal) for seizures and bipolar disorder can cause a rare but very serious reaction that excessively activates the body’s infection-fighting immune system. This can cause severe inflammation throughout…

WEBINAR – REGISTER NOW PRESCRIPTION DRUGS AND HEROIN Thursday, April 26, 2018 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. ET I 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. CT The opioid epidemic is having an ongoing serious impact on communities throughout the United States.…

Are you up on how the new tax law will affect small business like yours? Sign up for this webinar by Ollin Sykes, CPA with Sykes & Co., to make sure you’re up to date. This webinar will help you…

U.S. health insurer Cigna said on Thursday it would buy pharmacy benefits manager Express Scripts for about $54 billion, the latest deal in the sector aimed at tackling soaring healthcare costs. The move follows the $69 billion merger of insurer Aetna and drugstore chain CVS Health announced last…

After months of criticism that even spilled into a judge’s opinion in a separate case, Allergan’s Restasis patent deal with the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe just didn’t work. Thanks to a Friday ruling, the blockbuster eye drug has to face…

The Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association is hosting its annual Pharmacy Legislative Day in Harrisburg, PA on Monday, April 16, 2018. Attend and talk with Pennsylvania legislators about the issues that affect you and the patients you serve. Help us advocate for…

NCPA consulted with and received permission from leading community pharmacy accounting firm Sykes & Company, P.A. to share its analysis of the recently enacted tax law. It features the example of a hypothetical pharmacy owner to illustrate how specific provisions…

OptumRx and UnitedHealthcare are now accepting the Brand Tamiflu for reimbursement due to the shortage of the generic product in the market.   OptumRx and UnitedHealthcare are taking action to address current shortages in the supply of the generic anti-flu…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission today posted joint warning letters to the marketers and distributors of 12 opioid cessation products, for illegally marketing unapproved products with claims about their ability to help in the…

Let patients know you care: Put a good tip list for flu survival on your website and share it on social media. Indicate that patients can pick up flu prevention & relief items at your pharmacy (create end-caps for each).…

The Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association took action after its members began seeing drastic cuts in MAC reimbursements in some Medicaid Managed Care plans starting in October. Now they’ve been told CVS/Caremark has committed to returning reimbursements to pre-October levels for the…

The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services informed PPA yesterday that CVS/Caremark intends to return its MAC pricing for Aetna Better Health MCO back to the levels that were in place prior to the atrocious cuts implemented in October 2017. You…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today issued a warning letter to Becton Dickinson (BD) & Company that cited several violations of federal law, including marketing significantly modified versions of certain BD Vacutainer blood collection tubes without required FDA clearance…

This webinar is being done by OptiFreight, who is one of our vendors.  They are a part of Cardinal Health. Register at this link.

Time for my annual look at independent pharmacy owners’ business economics, drawn from the recently released 2017 National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) Digest, Sponsored by Cardinal Health. Here’s the press release: NCPA Releases 2017 Digest. Below, I review our latest…

The right supplements can be the best gift for the heart. Choose supplements that you feel comfortable recommending to patients and prepare a “Valentine’s Gift to the Heart” display. Some possibilities include your favorite multivitamin, a CoQ10, fish oil with…

https://www.nytimes.com/video/health/policy/100000005515818/the-opioid-epidemic-what-you-need-to-know.html 

Discover how one of your peers combined her pharmacy’s excellent reputation, strong customer relationships, and clinical expertise with patient needs to form a thriving niche counseling patients in wellness. The NCPA Innovation Center’s Jan. 10 CE webinar will give you…

Merry Christmas to all of our Independent Pharmacies and their families. Keystone/PARD offices will close at Noon on Friday, December 22, 2017 and remain closed through Monday, January 1, 2018 in observance of the holiday. We will resume our normal…

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is seeking public comment by January 16, 2018 on a proposal that would require all pharmacy DIR to be reflected at point of sale.  NCPA will encourage CMS to formally adopt this proposal,…

Below is a simple & quick survey from NCPA. They want to hear from you as to “what is bothering & costing you the most”. Please take 5 minutes and let them know your thoughts. 2018 Priorities Membership Survey flyer

Without the big HR department of a large chain, the weight of compliance falls on the pharmacy owner. The NCPA Innovation Center’s Dec. 13 CE webinar will give you the information and tools you need to manage human resources and…

With the holiday season upon us it’s easy to let your pharmacy’s social media presence slip throughout all of the hustle and bustle. In fact, these are some of the most crucial times to beef up your social media presence…

On Wednesday, Dec. 6, take the time to share with legislators how much you have paid in DIR fees this year. Let them know how DIRs imposed by PBMs have impacted patient costs at the register and how they have…

• Create a “Wash Away Germs” end-cap for Hand Washing Awareness Week (Dec. 3-9) featuring hand soaps, antibacterial lotions, air sanitizers like Lysol, and wipes. • Take a photo of one of your lift chairs with a big red bow…

In a 713-page proposed regulation, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced it will consider a proposal to account for all pharmacy DIR at point of sale, as NCPA has long urged. CMS argues that the change would increase drug…

  Effective Monday December 11, 2017 PACE and CRDP will enhance the existing prescriber edit. PACE and CRDP require that a cardholder’s prescription must be written by: a prescriber licensed by the Commonwealth a prescriber licensed by Delaware, Maryland, New…

Happy Thanksgiving to all of our Independent Pharmacies and their families. Keystone/PARD offices will close at Noon on Wednesday, November 22, 2017 and remain closed on Thursday, November 23, 2017 and Friday, November 24, 2017 in observance of the holiday.…

AmerisourceBergen will be acquiring H.D. Smith. The Valley Forge, Pa.-based company will be paying $815 million in cash for the company, which is currently the United States’ largest independent wholesaler. Read more about the acquisition here.

Here are some suggestions from NCPA on enhancing your front end for the holidays with product you already have in store. Prep “Makes a Great Stocking Stuffer” signs to place on at least 50 items throughout the store. Be creative…

Nov 16, 2017 Company to Collaborate with Key Partners across Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia DUBLIN, Ohio, Nov. 16, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — Cardinal Health (NYSE: CAH) today launched its new Opioid Action Program, aimed at helping communities in four of the nation’s hardest-hit states across Appalachia combat the…

PARD and Keystone join PUTT in a silent protest during a PBM presentation at the FTC workshop on PBMs and Healthcare Costs. Mid-morning as the PBM session kicked off – and at the precise moment Mark Merritt, President and CEO…

(Reuters) – U.S. regulators have approved the first digital pill with an embedded sensor to track if patients are taking their medication properly, marking a significant step forward in the convergence of healthcare and technology. Read more here.

Thanks to all Independent pharmacies who participated in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day! (WASHINGTON) – Americans nationwide did their part to reduce the opioid crisis by bringing the DEA and its more than 4,200 local and tribal law enforcement partners…

Small Business Saturday was founded seven years ago to help small businesses get more exposure during one of the biggest shopping weekends of the year—Thanksgiving weekend. Mark your calendar—this year the date is Nov. 25. NCPA has created free social…

Set the employee schedule for November, December, and January. Keep in mind that the day after Thanksgiving is the last Friday of the month and there is a good chance the pharmacy will be busy. Consider bringing in extra staff…