NCPA warns CMS about drug program
By HME News Staff
Updated 11:16 AM CST, Tue January 28, 2025
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The National Community Pharmacists Association has submitted comments to CMS warning that more than 90% of independent pharmacies may decide, or have already decided, not to stock drugs in the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program due to financial losses that will potentially put them out of business. “Pharmacies will have to float thousands of dollars every month waiting for refunds from the manufacturers,” said NCPA CEO B. Douglas Hoey. “That will cause a massive cash flow problem in an environment where thousands of pharmacies have already closed.” In its comments, NCPA cited a recent national survey of independent pharmacists that found 93.2% of respondents have already decided not to stock the drugs in the program, or they are considering not stocking them. The NCPA says if CMS and the new administration want to save the program, and if they want to prevent the disappearance of many more pharmacies, they will make a number of changes, including barring PBMs from requiring pharmacies to participate in the program to serve Medicare Part D patients and giving pharmacies the ability to cancel PBM contracts without cause.
- To read the NCPA’s comments in full, go here.
- Related: NCPA survey results show ‘ominous amount of pressure.’
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