ALEXANDRIA, Va. — On the eve of a final vote by the U.S. Senate on a health care reform bill last week, National Association of Chain Drug Stores here issued an update to its members apprising them of provisions within the bill favoring community pharmacy.
The NACDS endorsed a key medication therapy management (MTM) provision by Sen. Kay Hagan (D-NC) included in the Senate bill. The provision would strengthen MTM requirements in Medicare Part D.
NACDS said it will emphasize its preference for the Senate provisions related to Medicaid pharmacy reimbursement and the average manufacturer price (AMP) model. One of NACDS' top priorities has been to reform the reimbursement model enacted in the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005.
Among the ways in which the Senate bill is preferable to the House bill is that the Senate bill would ensure federal upper limits are set using a multiplier of "no less than" 175% - much higher than the 130% used in the House bill. NACDS said it is important to work to prevent House-Senate negotiators from settling on a multiplier at a level less than 175%.
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