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January 2008 Drug News

Judge halts new Medicaid reimbursement formula for pharmacies

A federal judge Friday ruled to temporarily stop the government’s plan for Medicaid reimbursement cuts for pharmacies, which was scheduled to go into effect Jan. 30, 2008. “We are very pleased that Judge Lamberth’s ruling was not only fair, but positive for the community pharmacy industry,” said NACDS president and CEO Steven Anderson and National Community Pharmacists Association executive vice president and CEO Bruce Roberts. “We cannot emphasize enough how these Medicaid cuts would hurt low-income patients who may have difficulty accessing their prescription medications in the nation’s pharmacies.” Drug Store News (12/14)

Update on Medicaid Rx Reimbursement (AMP) Rule – con’t

NACDS and NCPA have been successful in their efforts to obtain a preliminary injunction to prevent full implementation of the AMP rule. The Judge issued the requested preliminary injunction on December 14. The final order signed today, and effective immediately, prohibits HHS and CMS from implementing the AMP rule to the extent that it affects Medicaid reimbursement rates for retail pharmacy. Additionally, the Government may not make AMP data publicly available, whether by publishing it on a Web site or otherwise.
The order does allow HHS to require manufacturers to submit data for the purpose of calculating rebates to be paid to states under the Medicaid program. It is not clear at this point whether the Government intends to appeal the order.

Analysis: Profit loss, parental concern amid probe into children’s drugs

Cold and cough medicine manufacturers face significant profit losses this winter following recent FDA statements and voluntary recalls, according to this BusinessWeek article. Though cough and cold medications for children have been sold without a prescription in the U.S. for over four decades, concerns have been raised about their possible dangers, inefficacy and potential for misuse, causing anger and confusion among parents, who are left wondering what to give their sick children. BusinessWeek (12/27)

FDA approves generic Norvasc from Caraco Pharma

Amlodipine, a generic version of Pfizer’s blood pressure drug Norvasc, has been granted final FDA approval, Caraco Pharmaceutical Laboratories Ltd. said Wednesday. The decision allows Caraco to market 2.5-mg, 5-mg and 10-mg dosages of amlodipine besylate, which also treats chronic stable angina and vasospastic angina. Forbes/AFX News Limited (12/5)

HHS advisory body recommends e-prescribing

The American Health Information Community plans to suggest that HHS Secretary Michael Leavitt be given congressional authority to mandate e-prescribing in compliance with the standards of the Medicare Modernization Act for e-prescribing. Meanwhile, Leavitt has urged large health care providers to enact e-prescribing as part of medical practice. Health Data Management (11/29)

SureScripts aims high as lawmakers tout e-prescribing

Virginia-based SureScripts is hoping to become a leader in the electronic prescribing industry as lawmakers work with the HHS to transition pharmacies into going electronic. A Senate bill would impose a penalty on doctors who don’t use e-prescribing by 2011. SureScripts expects to handle 35 million prescriptions this year and 100 million in 2008. The Washington Post (12/10)

Bipartisan bill would require e-Rx for Medicare

A bill that would provide incentives for physicians to e-prescribe for Medicare patients has bipartisan support in Congress as well as the backing of the White House. The bill would require Medicare scripts to be electronic by 2011, with one-time payments to doctors who e-prescribe beginning in 2008. Health Data Management (12/5) , Government Health IT (12/5)

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