Wednesday, February 22 | 1:30 PM (ET) | 40-Minute Presentation Followed by Q&A
Join leadership to hear the latest company news and have your questions answered. This edition will cover new options for medical billing, the NRx enhancement road map, and the latest industry news.
Service Pack 19.1.40 is live! If you missed the webinar hosted by product experts on January 11, don’t worry. We understand how important it is to be in the know, so a recording is available for you to watch at your convenience.
Pharmacy and Medically Underserved Areas Enhancement Act (H.R. 2759/S. 1362)
If passed, this bill will add pharmacists as eligible providers of pharmacists’ services for Medicare Part B beneficiaries, specifically in medically underserved areas and those with health-professional shortages.
With a divided Congress, any legislation must be bipartisan in nature and a priority for both parties. Evidence shows that pharmacists positively impact patient health outcomes and reduce overall healthcare costs. National pharmacy organizations continue to vigorously advocate for provider status legislation, but every pharmacist should make it his/her mission to educate policymakers of the health system savings that will cover the cost of expanded healthcare access.
In a recent episode of the Integra X Files®, hosts and special guest Chad Worz, Pharm.D., BCGP, FASCP, Chief Executive Officer of ASCP®, engage in an in-depth discussion on why politics matter in pharmacy.
In the last week of December 2022, President Biden signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act for 2023, which includes the Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment (MAT) Act provision. The provision will improve access to medications for opioid use disorder (OUD), increase access to treatment that prevents overdoses, and support long-term recovery.
Acknowledging the public health crisis, hundreds of organizations called on Congress and the White House to pass the MAT Act. The Act won more than 275 Democratic, Republican, and Independent cosponsors in the House (H.R.1384) and the Senate (S.445) – a testament to the policy’s overwhelming bipartisan support.
The Biden Administration extended the nation’s public health emergency declaration – meaning it will last until mid-April unless it’s renewed again. This measure ensures continuation of special provisions for Medicaid and Medicare, free COVID tests and vaccines, telehealth coverage, and pharmacists’ authority to practice at the top of their license.
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) includes provisions to lower prescription drug costs for Medicare beneficiaries. Effective January 1, the IRA eliminated the deductible and imposed a statutory maximum beneficiary cost-sharing amount of $35 per one-month supply for Medicare Part D-covered insulins. However, the law allows for a 90-day grace period for implementation.
The National Community Pharmacists Association has released episode 3 – “Make Us More Efficient” – in its educational reality series. This one follows owner Stephen Anderson, Pharm.D., and his team as they look to streamline their workflow and become even more proactive in offering a robust vaccine program to patients. The first two episodes are available here, and the remaining two will be released in the next few weeks.
