Major Victory for Patients and Pharmacy in South Carolina
June 13, 2010
NACDS: Law “Puts Patients First”
ALEXANDRIA, VA – June 13, 2010 – Claiming a major victory for pharmacypatients today, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS)released a statement upon the signing into law of the South CarolinaBudget bill. A provision in the law will hold pharmacies harmless fromthe recent average wholesale price (AWP) First DataBank/Medi-Spansettlements, and pending approval from the Centers for Medicare andMedicaid Services (CMS), sets pharmacy reimbursement at wholesaleacquisition cost plus (+)12.5 percent. The law also calls for anadjustment to the Medicaid dispensing fee should the federal averagemanufacturer’s price (AMP) provision become problematic for pharmaciesin South Carolina.
The FirstDataBank/Medi-Span settlements refer to litigation surroundingthe publishing of drug pricing data. The effect of the settlements is tochange these data in a way that harms pharmacies, even though they werenot parties in the litigation.
NACDS President and CEO Steven C. Anderson, IOM, CAE, released thefollowing statement:
“This truly is a monumental achievement for pharmacy and patients inSouth Carolina. The pharmacy provisions in the law put patients first bypreserving their access to pharmacy care.
“The excessive rate cuts originally imposed placed a significant burdenon pharmacies. The increased reimbursement rate will help preserveaccess to community pharmacies and maintain the vital pharmacist-patientrelationship. This helps to foster medication adherence, which refersto patients’ taking their medications correctly, and that maintainshealth and ultimately prevents the need for higher-cost forms ofhealthcare.
“Without the advocacy of the South Carolina Association of Chain DrugStores and the South Carolina Pharmacy Association, patients would nothave achieved this victory. We also recognize the efforts of the statelegislators and thank them for their swift action in protectingpharmacies and their patients.
“As the face of neighborhood healthcare, pharmacy is a convenient andaccessible healthcare provider. NACDS will continue to fight to maintainand protect patients’ access to care in our nation’s pharmacies.”
