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Inside This Issue - News
A less-than-flattering assessment of pharmacists from Express Scripts Inc. chief executive officer George Paz has fanned the flames over his company’s proposed merger with Medco Health Solutions Inc. Nine drug chains and thousands of independent pharmacies across the country have signed onto an initiative to give pharmacists a chance to work more closely with patients to improve care and cut costs. The National Association of Chain Drug Stores and several other pharmacy associations are applauding a recent decision by the Supreme Court that sides with pharmacists and other health care providers in preserving their ability to challenge reimbursement cuts in Medi-Cal, California's Medicaid program. A portion of the 2013 federal budget proposed by the Obama administration last month has community pharmacy advocates up in arms. A federal judge here has allowed the government to suspend Cardinal Health Inc’s license to distribute controlled substances from its Lakeland, Fla., facility. McKesson Corp. has rolled out a line of Health Mart branded vitamins for the more than 2,900 independently owned pharmacies that operate under that banner. The National Association of Chain Drug Stores plans to hold its fourth annual NACDS RxImpact Day on Capitol Hill on March 21 and March 22. Kerr Drug is launching a campaign in stores and across multiple marketing channels designed to encourage pharmacists and patients to discuss the patients’ prescriptions, conditions, health practices and overall health. Rite Aid Corp. has selected CaptureRx as its preferred 340B technology vendor and administrator. Significant increases in refill volume and improved medication adherence are among benefits of the 90-day prescription refill at retail initiative launched a little over a year ago at Walgreen Co. The Supreme Court last month agreed to add another 30 minutes to the arguments over President Barack Obama’s health care reform law. The NACDS Foundation Dinner has launched a website with the theme of “one night for health’s dawn.”
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