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The National Association of Chain Drug Stores is on top of it, says president and CEO Steve Anderson.
Steve Anderson
Anderson is talking, of course, about the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issuance last week of the final rule for Covered Outpatient Drugs, which augurs key changes for Medicaid pharmacy reimbursement for generic drugs based on the AMP (average manufacturer price) model, according to NACDS.
In a posting on Thursday, he said that NACDS has rolled up its shirt sleeves to dissect the final rule and determine what it means for the chain drug industry.
Among its efforts, the association is examining interpretations of the provisions’ real-world effects on pharmacy patient care; reaching out to CMS for clarifications (e.g. the implementation dates of the FULs); engaging with pharmacy allies on Capitol Hill; eliciting professional analyses of the rule from legal counsel; and running numbers associated with the rule with the help of economic and industry experts at NACDS member companies and on the NACDS staff.
“This process will continue to play out over the next several weeks, including a thorough discussion of these issues during the NACDS Regional Chain Conference that begins Feb. 7,” Anderson said in the posting.
Pointing to an NACDS historical timeline, Anderson noted that the AMP issue speaks to the “founding vision” of the association in terms of its ability to marshall industry support.
“On pivotal issues that affect pharmacy patient care, NACDS members are stronger when united together,” Anderson stated.
Stay tuned.