Advocacy

WASHINGTON — Twenty-one senators recently sent a letter to Defense Sec. James Mattis, encouraging him to implement the TRICARE Acqisition Cost Parity Pilot Program for Retail Pharmacy.

MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. — McKesson Pharmacy Systems on Monday announced the integration of medication synchronization and mobile delivery into its portfolio of pharmacy management systems, including EnterpriseRx, PharmacyRx and Pharmaserv. Pharmacies that implement these enhancements in their McKesson pharmacy management system can improve patient medication adherence and measurement, further streamline pharmacy workflow and provide convenient mobile delivery and tracking capabilities for patient prescriptions.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens on Monday announced that beginning July 13, providers at Walgreens Healthcare Clinic locations in 17 new markets will be able to prescribe PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis), a medication protocol for people who don’t have HIV to help proactively protect against HIV infection.  The new markets include Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus (Ohio), Dallas, Denver, Kansas City, Knoxville, Las Vegas, Louisville, Memphis, Nashville, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Tucson, Washington D.C., and Wichita.
 

WASHINGTON — This week, the board of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores was pounding the pavement on Capitol Hill to share with lawmakers the role that pharmacy plays in the nation’s healthcare system.

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — To assist in the national crisis concerning opioid overdoses, Hy-Vee and CHI Health announced Tuesday that naloxone is now available without a prescription at Hy-Vee pharmacies in Nebraska, and will soon be available at CHI Health pharmacies. Nebraska marks the fifth state in Hy-Vee’s eight-state region where it is offering the medication without a prescription.

ARLINGTON, Va. — At the National Association of Chain Drug Stores Total Store Expo, attendees of the conference’s NACDS Political Involvement Reception will get to hear from NBC News and MSNBC senior political analyst Mark Halperin. He will speak at the reception, which takes place Aug. 19 — the first night of NACDS TSE, which will be held in San Diego through Aug. 22.

It seems not a day goes by lately that the opioid abuse crisis is not front and center in national headlines.  More and more lives are being lost to overdoses, and prescription drug abuse is devastating families and communities leading to violence, crime, and strained resources. 

State governments have implemented a variety of tactics and tools to combat the problem, from strengthening prescription drug monitoring programs to mandating limits on prescribing or executing drug take-back programs. But policy solutions can only go so far in addressing the problem.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — As the Trump administration reviews policies in the Medicaid managed care rule, the National Community Pharmacists Association shared with Seema Verma, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, a list of provisions it hopes will be included in the rule.