CMS decided to “kick the can down the road” on DIR fees at this time, but noted that the President’s Fiscal Year 2019 Budget included language that all price concessions should be at the point-of-sale. CMS believes the statute provides them with discretion to require that Part D sponsors apply at least a portion of the manufacturer rebates and all pharmacy price concessions they receive to the price of a Part D drug at the point of sale. Any new requirements regarding the application of rebates at the point of sale will be proposed through notice and comment in future rulemaking.

As a reminder to all IPC stores, you have until the close of business Tuesday, January 16, 2018 to submit your comments to The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) supporting its proposed rule that ends the retroactive DIR fees by requiring the PBMs to apply all pharmacy price concessions, including DIR fees, to the price of the drug at the point of sale.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule that includes a number of changes that, if finalized, will ensure that Part D Medicare enrollees have access to more affordable prescription drugs and more robust prescription drug coverage at the pharmacy they prefer. The rule also gives health plans a new tool to combat the opioid crisis.

We Need Pharmacy's Voice To Keep Up the Momentum For Passage of Anti-Prescription Clawback Fees and Pharmacy “Gag Orders” PBM Regulation Bill. IPC has been working actively for months with the Ohio Pharmacists Association to urge the State of Ohio to take action against PBM practices that harm pharmacy patients and their pharmacy.

IPC has been supporting the efforts of various Kentucky pharmacy groups to end the prescription below cost payments by Kentucky Medicaid's MCO's to Kentucky pharmacies. Kentucky State SB 5 sponsor Senator Max Wise (R-Campbellsville) pushed through the Kentucky Legislature unanimously a bill (SB 5) to address these underwater payments. The bill now sits on the desk of Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin for his consideration.

NY Legislature Considering an Unprecedented Pass Through Tax On Every Opioid Prescription Order in the State. Your Voice Needed Today To Tell Them NO. As both an independent pharmacy GPO and a wholesaler, IPC has been working closely with other independent pharmacy interest in closely monitoring a proposal in New York State to impose the first in the nation tax - somewhere between 2 -2.5% per order - on every opioid prescription "first sale" (unclear how it would be defined) in the State of New York.