Congressional Community Pharmacy Coalition To Protect Community Pharmacies and Preserve Pati...( Co-Chairs Are Reps. Berry Mora...),Health

Co-Chairs Are Reps. Berry, Moran, McMorris Rodgers, and Weiner

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Sept. 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) today applauds the official launch of the bipartisan Congressional Community Pharmacy Coalition. The Coalition's primary objective is to preserve patient access to community pharmacies by restoring fairness and pragmatism to a health care system that devalues these small business owners who often reside in underserved rural and urban communities.

"The cavalry has arrived to restore the way community pharmacies ought to be treated," said Bruce Roberts, RPh, NCPA executive vice president and CEO. "The Congressional Community Pharmacy Coalition has put partisanship aside to recognize that these small business owners are a critical cog in the wheel that keeps the American people healthy and our economy vibrant."

The 34 original members, which include 4 co-chairs, have long worked closely with NCPA and view the Coalition's creation as the next logical step in championing the needs of the 23,000 community pharmacies, 300,000 small business jobs they provide, and the millions of patients they serve.

During the call the Coalition's co-chairs Reps. Marion Berry (D- Ark.),Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), and Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) described how the slow reimbursement of Medicare Part D claims; the pending cut in Medicaid generic prescription drug reimbursement, and the inability to negotiate reasonable contracts with the pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) like their publicly trade chain drug store counterparts, are forcing community pharmacies out of business and putting their patients' health at risk.

The legislative solutions that Coalition members advocate in the 110th Congress are H.R.1474, the Fair and Speedy Treatment of Medicare Prescription Drug Act; H.R.3140, the Saving Our Community Pharmacies Act; and H.R.971, the Community Pharmacy Fair
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