APhA sent out an Action Alert to all APhA members on the merging of the pharmacy provisions in the House and Senate health care reform proposals - the Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962) and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (H.R. 3590) - into a final health care reform bill.
Reports indicate that the House and Senate are on the verge of finalizing the merger of their health care reform bills. From what we understand, the bill will be transmitted to the Congressional Budget Office to score the bill's cost in the next few days. If true, the release of the final HCR bill will be sometime next week. More Information
Monday, January 18, 2010
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
FOR YOUR INFORMATION-- Re: PROPOFOL 1% injection
In response to recent concerns about offers for certain Propofol 1% injection products that appear to be outside of the established distribution pathway, FDA's Drug Shortages Team would like to share the following information, which may be of interest to your members:
Propofol 1% Injection has been in short supply for approximately 2 months due to manufacturing issues. In response to the drug shortage, APP Pharmaceuticals is shipping Fresenius Propoven(r) 1% (propofol 1%) Injection directly to hospitals/surgery centers from their Chicago, IL location. Purchase of Propoven(r) through any other source (also known as "gray market distributors") is not recommended because the quality of the Propoven(r) from another source cannot be assured. Any offer to sell Propoven(r) by an entity other than APP Pharmaceuticals should be reported to drugshortages@fda.hhs.gov.
For additional information:
Propofol 1% Injection has been in short supply for approximately 2 months due to manufacturing issues. In response to the drug shortage, APP Pharmaceuticals is shipping Fresenius Propoven(r) 1% (propofol 1%) Injection directly to hospitals/surgery centers from their Chicago, IL location. Purchase of Propoven(r) through any other source (also known as "gray market distributors") is not recommended because the quality of the Propoven(r) from another source cannot be assured. Any offer to sell Propoven(r) by an entity other than APP Pharmaceuticals should be reported to drugshortages@fda.hhs.gov.
For additional information:
In preparation for the 2010 Oklahoma Legislative Session, the following update
1. The Oklahoma State Legislature by requirement of the State Constitution will convene for the 2010 Session on Monday, February 1st.
2. Also per the State Constitution, the 2010 Session must adjourn no later than the last Friday in May -- in 2010 that is May 28th.
3. The deadline for requesting bills to be introduced in the 2010 Session has passed and bills are now being written by Legislative Staff. We expect that we will start having access to "some bills" by sometime in early in January. Based on prior years, we hope to have the majority of bills available for review by mid-January. We will be reviewing these bills and will be developing a tracking list.
4. The state's revenue picture for next year continues to look bleak. The National Conference of State Legislature's recently recognized the Oklahoma State Budget as the most "upside down" -- with a projected shortfall of 18.5%. Arizona was second on NCSL's list with a shortfall of 18%, while Illinois was third at 16.5%. It will not be a good year, as major spending cuts are expected in all areas.
5. There is still discussion of a Special Session in January to deal with the shortfall in the current fiscal year that ends on June 30, 2010. However, the cost of a Special Session is estimated to be approximately $100,000 per day, so there are those who are encouraging to wait until the Legislators all come back to Capitol for regular session.
6. Earlier in the year to deal with the shortfall, monthly allocations to State Departments and Agencies were reduced by 5% per month, across the board. As the shortfall numbers have grown worse, the Legislative Leadership and Governor have agreed to increase the reduction to 10% per month. It is expected that that amount of reduction will still not be sufficient to get through to year's end, and so additional cuts are expected.
The Oklahoma Pharmacists Association.
2. Also per the State Constitution, the 2010 Session must adjourn no later than the last Friday in May -- in 2010 that is May 28th.
3. The deadline for requesting bills to be introduced in the 2010 Session has passed and bills are now being written by Legislative Staff. We expect that we will start having access to "some bills" by sometime in early in January. Based on prior years, we hope to have the majority of bills available for review by mid-January. We will be reviewing these bills and will be developing a tracking list.
4. The state's revenue picture for next year continues to look bleak. The National Conference of State Legislature's recently recognized the Oklahoma State Budget as the most "upside down" -- with a projected shortfall of 18.5%. Arizona was second on NCSL's list with a shortfall of 18%, while Illinois was third at 16.5%. It will not be a good year, as major spending cuts are expected in all areas.
5. There is still discussion of a Special Session in January to deal with the shortfall in the current fiscal year that ends on June 30, 2010. However, the cost of a Special Session is estimated to be approximately $100,000 per day, so there are those who are encouraging to wait until the Legislators all come back to Capitol for regular session.
6. Earlier in the year to deal with the shortfall, monthly allocations to State Departments and Agencies were reduced by 5% per month, across the board. As the shortfall numbers have grown worse, the Legislative Leadership and Governor have agreed to increase the reduction to 10% per month. It is expected that that amount of reduction will still not be sufficient to get through to year's end, and so additional cuts are expected.
The Oklahoma Pharmacists Association.
Monday, December 28, 2009
NCPA has put together a checklist to make sure you are prepared: There will be some key changes starting January 1st
• If You Want to Get Paid, Better Tell Medicare How You Got the 'Script
o Prescription Origin Code will be required on all new Medicare Part D prescriptions.
• Staff Training on Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Prevention is a Must
o Make sure your staff is trained and that their education is documented.
• Prompt Pay—No More PBM Foot-Dragging
o Medicare Part D sponsors must pay retail pharmacies within 14 days.
• WARNING: Some Products Covered Today May Not be Tomorrow
o The 2010 FDA non-matched list has been released.
• Low-Income Subsidy Program Under New Management
o POS Facilitated Enrollment is now Limited Income NET with a new enrollment process.
• DMEPOS Accreditation Takes Effect in January
o Take action immediately if you are planning to become accredited.
• Do you have a breach notification plan in place?
o Enforcement penalties begin in February for improperly handled protected health information breaches. The full checklist with specific dates, explanations, resources at NCPA members only section
o Prescription Origin Code will be required on all new Medicare Part D prescriptions.
• Staff Training on Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Prevention is a Must
o Make sure your staff is trained and that their education is documented.
• Prompt Pay—No More PBM Foot-Dragging
o Medicare Part D sponsors must pay retail pharmacies within 14 days.
• WARNING: Some Products Covered Today May Not be Tomorrow
o The 2010 FDA non-matched list has been released.
• Low-Income Subsidy Program Under New Management
o POS Facilitated Enrollment is now Limited Income NET with a new enrollment process.
• DMEPOS Accreditation Takes Effect in January
o Take action immediately if you are planning to become accredited.
• Do you have a breach notification plan in place?
o Enforcement penalties begin in February for improperly handled protected health information breaches. The full checklist with specific dates, explanations, resources at NCPA members only section
Thursday, December 24, 2009
NCPA on Passage of Senate Health Reform Bill: Positive Pharmacy Provisions Included
Alexandria, Va. - December 24, 2009 The U.S. Senate has passed its health care reform bill, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. It has to be reconciled with the House's version of the bill, the Affordable Health Care for America Act of 2009, which passed in early November. Several provisions affect the nation's nearly 23,000 community pharmacies and the millions of patients they serve. In response, Bruce T. Roberts, RPh, president and CEO of the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) issued the following statement:
"We appreciate that both chambers of Congress have attempted to restore some of these cuts. We prefer the Senate language in general because it would help assure that pharmacies would be paid more adequately, and has other important changes we believe are critical to assuring Medicaid patients access to community pharmacies. We implore the negotiators to, at a minimum, adopt the Senate version. More Information
"We appreciate that both chambers of Congress have attempted to restore some of these cuts. We prefer the Senate language in general because it would help assure that pharmacies would be paid more adequately, and has other important changes we believe are critical to assuring Medicaid patients access to community pharmacies. We implore the negotiators to, at a minimum, adopt the Senate version. More Information
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Health Care Reform- Washington Latest Senate Schedule, December 23
• The Senate will convene at 9:45am on Wednesday, December 23 to resume consideration of H.R. 3590, their health care reform bill. From 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, the Senate will proceed to alternating blocks of time.
• At 2:13 PM, the Senate will proceed to a series of up to 5 roll call votes in relation to the health care reform bill, including votes in relation to points of order, adoption of the Reid substitute amendment, and cloture on the underlying bill, HR 3590. Under an agreement reached on Tuesday, if cloture is invoked, all post-cloture debate will expire at 8:00 AM Thursday, December 24.
• Under the same agreement, upon disposition of HR 359o, the Senate will proceed to the consideration of H.R. 4314, an act to permit continued financing of government operations, with no amendments in order. The Senate will then proceed to vote on passage of the bill. Passage of HR 4314 will require 60-affirmative votes. Related Pharmacy Issues include in HCR Senate Bill!
• At 2:13 PM, the Senate will proceed to a series of up to 5 roll call votes in relation to the health care reform bill, including votes in relation to points of order, adoption of the Reid substitute amendment, and cloture on the underlying bill, HR 3590. Under an agreement reached on Tuesday, if cloture is invoked, all post-cloture debate will expire at 8:00 AM Thursday, December 24.
• Under the same agreement, upon disposition of HR 359o, the Senate will proceed to the consideration of H.R. 4314, an act to permit continued financing of government operations, with no amendments in order. The Senate will then proceed to vote on passage of the bill. Passage of HR 4314 will require 60-affirmative votes. Related Pharmacy Issues include in HCR Senate Bill!
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
HCR Update for Tuesday, December 22
Early this morning, the Senate cleared another procedural hurdle to passage of their health care reform bill. Reports indicate that by identical votes of 60-39, Senate Democrats three times set aside Republican objections to the legislation and moved the bill one step closer to passage, including approval of a manager's amendment offered by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) Dec. 19. An additional procedural vote is likely Dec. 23 before final vote is taken Dec. 24 on the final bill.
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