LEGISLATORS, HEALTH CARE EXPERTS FEATURED
AT PBA HEALTH / TRUECARE WINTER SUMMIT IN SAN ANTONIO

SAN ANTONIO -- Texas community pharmacists will get a chance in February to hear first-hand from some of the state’s top legislators on how to develop relationships and better communicate with your local state representative and senator.

They’ll also have the opportunity to participate in an executive roundtable featuring state pharmacy executives from five states. “Having such exceptional pharmacy leaders from around the country openly discuss matters critical to us all will be of enormous benefit to everyone at the summit,” said Joe DeSilva, executive director of the Texas Pharmacy Association.

The discussion will focus on sharing ideas and solutions to the challenges currently facing pharmacists at the state and national levels. Also, attendees will get the latest information on the National Health Care Plan from NCPA’s director of federal government affairs Anne Cassity.

Dr. Mark Riley, one of the country’s premier experts on pharmacy reimbursements and pricing models, will also be on hand to share his predictions on the economic future of pharmacy.

It’s all a part of the PBA Health / TrueCare 2010 Winter CE Summit at the luxurious Watermark Hotel and Spa on San Antonio’s famous Riverwalk, February 19-21.

The schedule begins Friday, February 19, with a technology showcase and guest reception. On Saturday, some of the state’s biggest pharmacy supporters in the Texas Legislature will speak to community pharmacists on ways to effectively communicate with their legislators. The session will feature Representative Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi, who will discuss how to generate support for pharmacist-supported proposals in the Texas Legislature. “Building strong, credible relationships with your state representatives and senators is vital to an effective legislative affairs program,” Hunter said.

Rep. Hunter chairs the powerful House Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence Committee in the Texas House of Representatives. The author of much of the state’s historic tort reform legislation in his five terms in office, Hunter received huge accolades for his mediation skills in shepherding important legislation through the 81st Legislative session. He carried important pharmacy prompt pay legislation and has been a great friend of pharmacy.

Earlier on Saturday, Dr. Riley will take winter summit participants through facts and predictions on the future pricing benchmarks for both brand and generic drugs. He’ll help you understand how you’re going to get paid for filling prescriptions and how it will affect your bottom line. A longtime community pharmacist, Dr. Riley will talk about the importance of reliable and sustainable pricing benchmarks and explain the differences between reimbursement models for brand and generic drugs. “After the AWP shakeup, equitable and stable pricing benchmarks are essential if we are to remain profitable,” Riley said.

Registration for the summit is $169, which includes all sessions, the Friday night reception, Saturday breakfast and Saturday lunch. For more information on the Winter CE Summit call John Heal at Texas TrueCare Office at (512) 474-7989 OR (512) 474-RxTx.

WHAT TO DO IN SAN ANTONIO
For those of you bringing your families for a few days of fun and excitement, there’s plenty to do in San Antonio. Here’s a list of just a few opportunities during the Mid Winter Conference.

The Alamo:  Founded in 1718, Mission San Antonio de Valero is one of the state’s biggest attractions and the site of the most famous battle of the Texas Revolution.
www.thealamo.org

San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo:  Xtreme Bull Riding fans rejoice! The finals are Saturday night, Feb. 20, and they will be broadcast on ESPN. As if that’s not enough, get ready for one of the best PCRA rodeos and livestock shows in the nation. Enjoy star-studded entertainment, shopping, a carnival and livestock centers. For more information: www.sarodeo.com

Asian Festival at Institute of Texan Cultures:  On Saturday, Feb. 20th, the annual Asian Festival honors Asian cultures and traditions from the Middle East to the Pacific Rim. Enjoy a variety of delicious foods (Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, Pakistani, Filipino and Polynesian, just to name a few!) and an array of performances, including martial arts and dance demonstrations.

San Antonio Zoo:  The third largest zoo in the United States featuring more than 3,500 animals and covering more than 56 acres. www.sazoo-aq.org

FOR MORE ATTRACTIONS:
www.visitsanantonio.com

 

HEALTH CARE REFORM GETS ADDITIONAL PHARMACY SUGGESTIONS

Senate and House negotiators are still trying to craft a health care reform bill that a majority of Congress can agree to and will pass muster with the White House amid growing concern that pharmacy will be shortchanged in the final legislation.

The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) earlier this month offered lawmakers updated recommendations for the final legislation in an attempt to improve the bill’s position on community pharmacy.

"Community pharmacists are ready and willing to help improve health outcomes and lower costs," said NCPA Executive Vice President and CEO Bruce T. Roberts, RPh. "We greatly appreciate the bipartisan backing in both chambers for reforms that support community pharmacists. We will continue working with Congress in hopes of enacting these proposals."

NCPA offered the following recommendations on the legislation:

• Reform the Medicaid Average Manufacturer Price (AMP) reimbursement system for generic drugs and adopt, at a minimum, the Senate's federal upper limit of no less than 175% of the weighted average AMP
  
  
• Combine House-passed transparency provisions for pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) operating in the proposed health insurance exchange with Senate language extending the reporting requirements to Medicare Part D drug plans
  
  
• .Assure seniors access to essential durable medical equipment (DME) by adopting the Senate’s proposal to exempt from Medicare's burdensome, duplicative accreditation requirements those pharmacies that derive no more than five percent of total prescription sales from DME, such as diabetes testing supplies
  
  
• Support all House and Senate-passed provisions expanding the community pharmacist's ability to provide medication therapy management services to maximize the patient's adherence and therapeutic benefit while lowering the cost of inappropriate prescription drug use—estimated at $290 billion annually
  

NCPA's letter also raises questions about how a new, government-sponsored "public option" would impact independent pharmacies, both in terms of reimbursement as well as small business health insurance requirements; suggests alternatives to a costly proposed mandate under Medicare; cautions against any federal pre-emption of state-based "any willing provider" laws; opposes moving Medicare vaccination coverage into the Part B program; backs safeguards to prevent 340B low-income drug subsidies from being diverted to hospital employees and others; seeks clarification that any provision allowing the government to set Medicare drug prices not apply to pharmacy reimbursement; and supports House-passed language to close the Medicare Part D coverage gap, or "donut hole."

The national health care plan will be the subject of one of the sessions at the upcoming PBA Health/Truecare Mid Winter Summit in San Antonio. NCPA’s federal government affairs director will be at the event to discuss the issues surrounding the health care proposals. For more information go to the Texas TrueCare Legislative Council website at www.truecaretexas.com.

“Truecare has worked with national community pharmacy advocates to try to implement the best provisions possible for this health care legislation,” said TrueCareGovernment Affairs Director John Heal. “Without changes in the AMP provisions, many community pharmacies may have to opt out of the Medicaid program. Additionally, the move to get more PBM transparency to help cut wasteful spending has been a goal of our Truecare Texas Legislative Council for several years.”