Rural Healthcare

More than 32.6 million Americans live more than two miles from the nearest pharmacy. That distance not only serves as a significant barrier to accessing prescription medicines, but also contributes to the growing nonadherence problem in the United States. TelePharm, a Cardinal Health company, helps pharmacists overcome those medication barriers by facilitating the opening of telepharmacies as part of a turnkey solution set for interested pharmacy operations.

The state regulatory environment is on its way toward becoming friendlier to telepharmacy, or the practice of providing pharmaceutical care via telecommunications to patients at a distance, especially those patients living within a “pharmacy desert.”

A telepharmacy operates like a traditional pharmacy except the pharmacist reviews prescriptions and counsels patients from a remote location.

WASHINGTON - Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Va., along with Rep. Peter Welch, D-Vt., and seven other Members of Congress, on Thursday introduced the Improving Transparency and Accuracy in Medicare Part D Spending Act (H.R. 5951), which would ensure community pharmacists receive reimbursement at the rate posted at the time the prescription is filled.

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Reps. Doug Collins and Buddy Carter sent a letter to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services on Wednesday asking for a review of Humana’s proposed amendments to its Pharmacy Provider Agreement for the 2017 Part D plan year.

WASHINGTON - Reps. Todd Yong, R-Ind., and Ron Kind, D-Wis., issued statements this week to the United States House of Representatives’ Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health in support of pharmacists having a larger role in health care as part of a hearing on legislation to improve and sustain the Medicare program, the American Pharmacists Association reported Thursday.