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Arkansas lawmakers seek better pharmacist reimbursements Thursday, May 22, 2008 By Sara Spivey Stephens Washington Bureau WASHINGTON - Three members of the Arkansas congressional delegation told a community pharmacy group Wednesday they will continue efforts to change federal regulations that they said delay payments and shortchange pharmacists. Reps. Marion Berry, D-Gillett, and Mike Ross, D-Prescott, and John Boozman, R-Rogers, said at a Capitol Hill rally that the regulations have forced many pharmacies out of business. More than 1,100 pharmacies closed in 2006, Ross said. "The pharmacists cannot fill prescriptions when the government is reimbursing them below the actual cost of the prescription," Ross said. "We must fix it before we lose even more community pharmacies." The lawmakers, Berry and Ross in particular, have long promoted the National Community Pharmacists Association's issues at the nation's capital. The lobbying group sponsored Wednesday's rally. Berry is the only licensed pharmacist in Congress. Ross is a former pharmacy owner. Boozman is an optometrist. They oppose a Medicaid regulation that went into effect in October that reimburses pharmacies an average of 36 percent below the cost of prescription drugs, according to a study by the Government Accountability Office. The rule pays an average, taking into account the 10 percent to 20 percent-lower price that hospitals pay for drugs. The Arkansas trio have signed on to three bills designed to raise prescription drug reimbursement rates, make Medicare sponsors pay claims from pharmacies promptly and apply antitrust laws to pharmacy and health insurance negotiations. "The stories of struggling pharmacies can be heard all across America," Boozman said. "We need to take action and pass these pieces of legislation to bring relief to this vital component in the community." Berry said the bills will fix "unacceptable" laws and policies that have put independent neighborhood drug stores out of business. The rally was part of the pharmacists association's yearly conference. The association includes more than 24,000 pharmacies nationwide. |
