Photo Left to Right: Beth Lea (ABC), Prescott Godwin (The Medicine Center Pharmacy), Mrs. Godwin, Congressman Walter Jones (R-NC), Cindy Mincy, Bill Mincy (PPSC), Peter Kounelis (ABC), & Beth Mitchell (ABC)

Advocating Together on Capitol Hill-NCPA Congressional Pharmacy Summit

Portions of this article were provided by the Elevate Provider Network and the NCPA

Photo Left to Right: Beth Lea (ABC), Prescott Godwin (The Medicine Center Pharmacy), Mrs. Godwin, Congressman Walter Jones (R-NC), Cindy Mincy, Bill Mincy (PPSC), Peter Kounelis (ABC), & Beth Mitchell (ABC)

Photo Left to Right: Beth Lea (ABC), Prescott Godwin (The Medicine Center Pharmacy), Mrs. Godwin, Congressman Walter Jones (R-NC), Cindy Mincy, Bill Mincy (PPSC), Peter Kounelis (ABC), & Beth Mitchell (ABC)

On April 11-12, Beth Lea, National Director of Managed Care for AmerisourceBergen (ABC); Peter Kounelis, VP of Elevate Provider Network; Greg Reybold, Director of State Government Affairs for ABC; and Beth Mitchell, Director of Government Affairs for ABC, attended the National Community Pharmacists Association’s (NCPA) 2018 Congressional Pharmacy Summit and participated in several meetings with customers and their Congressmen/Senators on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.

NCPA hosts this annual meeting in Washington to promote pro-community pharmacy policies and encourage Members of Congress who represent community pharmacies in their congressional districts and states to support and pass priority pharmacy legislation. NCPA reports that community pharmacists from over 35 states attended the summit and visited more than 250 Congressional offices for legislative meetings. Beth, Peter and Beth joined pharmacy customers for several of their meetings on Capitol Hill.

Photo Left to Right: Front: Peter Kounelis (ABC), Steve Hoffart (Magnolia Pharmacy), Alycia Maloney - Legislative Assistant for Congressman Kevin Brady (R-TX), and Michael Wright (Texas Pharmacy Business Council/American Pharmacies); Back: Vance Oglesbee (Hometown Pharmacy) and Chuck Waters (Texas Pharmacy Business Council/American Pharmacies)

Photo Left to Right: Front: Peter Kounelis (ABC), Steve Hoffart (Magnolia Pharmacy), Alycia Maloney – Legislative Assistant for Congressman Kevin Brady (R-TX), and Michael Wright (Texas Pharmacy Business Council/American Pharmacies); Back: Vance Oglesbee (Hometown Pharmacy) and Chuck Waters (Texas Pharmacy Business Council/American Pharmacies)

“Beth, Peter, and our representatives through AmerisourceBergen are excellent advocates for all WSPC members on the Hill,” said Dirk White of their activities at the NCPA Summit. “Of course, it is also important that individual WSPC members know the issues, and I strongly encourage all of our WSPC members to contact their representatives regarding these important bills.”

Community pharmacists met with their legislators to advocate for federal proposals including the Improving Transparency and Accuracy in Medicare Part D Drug Spending Act (S. 413/H.R. 1038), the Ensuring Seniors Access to Local Pharmacies Act (S. 1044/H.R. 1939), the Prescription Drug Price Transparency Act (H.R. 1316), and the Pharmacy and Medically Underserved Areas Enhancement Act (S. 109/H.R. 592).

Here’s your need-to-know about each of these bills:

  • Ensuring Seniors Access to Local Pharmacies Act (S. 1044/H.R. 1939): These companion bills would give seniors more access to discounted copays for prescription drugs at their pharmacy of choice. It would allow pharmacies in medically underserved areas to participate in Medicare preferred pharmacy networks if they accept the drug plan’s terms and conditions.
  • Prescription Drug Price Transparency Act (H.R. 1316): Generic prescription drugs account for over 80 percent of medications dispensed by community pharmacies, yet how they are priced by pharmacy benefit managers is a black box. This bill would codify Medicare transparency provisions concerning maximum allowable costs for generics and apply them to TRICARE and FEHB. It would also establish a MAC appeals process and prohibit PBM requirements to use a PBM-owned pharmacy, a clear conflict of interest.
  • Pharmacy and Medically Underserved Areas Enhancement Act (S. 109/H.R. 592): This bill will enable Medicare beneficiaries access to pharmacist-provided services under Medicare Part B by amending section 1861(s)(2) of the Social Security Act. These services would be reimbursable under Medicare Part B if they are provided in medically underserved communities and consistent with state scope of practice laws.
  • Improving Transparency and Accuracy in Medicare Part D Drug Spending Act (S. 413/H.R. 1038): Retroactive “DIR fees” on pharmacies have exploded in Medicare Part D. These companion bills would prohibit retroactively reducing payment on clean claims submitted by pharmaces under Medicare Part D. A study by Wakely Consulting Group concluded that this bill would reduce Medicare costs by $3.4 billion over 10 years. It would also increase transparence in the program and lower out-of-pocket cost sharing levels for seniors.
Left to Right: Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-TX) and Joe Ochoa (Ochoa's Pharmacy) 

Left to Right: Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-TX) and Joe Ochoa (Ochoa’s Pharmacy)

Thank you and kudos to the hundreds of community pharmacists who attended the summit, for amplifying the powerful voice of the pharmacist in meetings directly with their Members of Congress and congressional staff about issues most important to community pharmacy.

We encourage you to attend NCPA’s Congressional Summit next year or your state pharmacy association’s annual advocacy day to raise the issues most important to you and your patients!

Left to Right: Vance Oglesbee (Hometown Pharmacy), Beth Lea (ABC), Steve Hoffart (Magnolia Pharmacy), & Peter Kounelis (ABC) after meeting with staff for Congressman Bill Flores (R-TX).

Left to Right: Vance Oglesbee (Hometown Pharmacy), Beth Lea (ABC), Steve Hoffart (Magnolia Pharmacy), & Peter Kounelis (ABC) after meeting with staff for Congressman Bill Flores (R-TX).