Specialty Providers

YARMOUTH, Maine – A pair of deals in the fourth quarter of 2024 highlights the attraction of the patient-direct market for continuous glucose monitors, say M&A analysts.  In December, Cardinal Health announced it plans to spend $1.1 billion to buy Carlsbad, Calif.-based Advanced Diabetes Supply, a national provider that serves about 500,000 diabetes patients annually, and in November, Henry Schein said it had signed an agreement to buy Tampa, Fla.-based Acentus, a national provider...

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The National Community Pharmacists Association’s Innovation Center has formed the Independent Community Pharmacy Consortium for Government Engagement, bringing together pharmacy services administrative organizations, wholesale distributors and pharmacy management system vendors to streamline the engagement of community pharmacies in public health initiatives.   The NCPA says the consortium will facilitate swift and efficient cooperation between public health...

WASHINGTON – The Federal Trade Commission has published a report that found pharmacy benefit managers Caremark Rx LLC (CVS), Express Scripts and OptumRx marked up numerous specialty generic drugs by hundreds or thousands of percent.   The report, the second produced by the FTC, focused on PBMs influence over specialty generic drugs, including significant price markups by PBMs for cancer, HIV and a variety of other critical drugs.  “The FTC staff’s second interim...

Looking back on her long career, Wendy Miller, who was recently named the recipient of the 2024 Jim Newberry Award for Extraordinary Service, says the biggest challenge O&P professionals face today is insurance companies that have too much power.   “It’s difficult to get paid for a lot of things and a lot of times suppliers (advance) their own funds and they do that because they are very patient-oriented, so they are going to do that to help their patients,” said Miller,...

WASHINGTON – The Pricing, Data Analysis and Coding (PDAC) contractor for CMS seeks primary contact information from manufacturers and distributors as it prepares to roll out new HCPCS codes for hydrophilic intermittent urinary catheters on Jan. 1, 2026, AAHomecare reports.  Manufacturers and distributors can provide their primary contact by completing this form by March 31. Over the course of the year, the PDAC will work with the primary contact to determine if their products qualify...

LAS VEGAS – The National Sleep Foundation highlighted the growing contribution of “SleepTech” in diversifying innovation that can improve sleep, during a presentation at CES 2025 in Las Vegas.  These advances can help everyday consumers get enough of the quality sleep they need, plus realize NSF's goal to make sleep science-based products and services more accessible and convenient, the foundation says.  "This coming year we expect to see another spike...

CALABASAS, Calif. – Nationwide Medical plans to use a recent investment to strengthen its bench as it seeks to "compete at a higher level” in the sleep and respiratory space, says CEO David Siegel.  The company has already lined up several new hires for the first quarter of 2025 and will also look at technology upgrades to support and increase the efficiency of its operations and sales staff – a model that has worked for the company since its inception, says Siegel.  “One...

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The American Orthotics and Prosthetics Association (AOPA) board of directors has announced that Teri Kuffel, JD, will serve as interim executive director effective Jan. 1.  AOPA’s current executive director, Eve Lee, is resigning effective Jan. 22 to become CEO of the Society of Interventional Radiology.  As interim executive director, a six-month term, Kuffel, who is also vice president and co-owner of Arise Orthotics & Prosthetics in Minnesota, will...

GILBERT, Ariz. – Strive Compounding Pharmacy’s recent purchase of a new facility in St. Louis is the company's response to a growing demand for personalized medicines, says Zach Shurtleff.  The 50,000-square-foot facility will bring Strive’s pharmaceutical compounding, warehouse and custom fulfillment space all under one roof, allowing the provider to offer its telehealth and other clinical partners the benefit of scale though a closed-door pharmacy model, says Shurtleff,...

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa – In an environment where both chain and independent pharmacies are exiting certain markets,  OneroRx is building up its presence, most recently with two EverCare Pharmacy locations in Princeton and Trenton, Mo.  The company, a leading regional provider of pharmacy and telepharmacy services, now has 67 locations across seven states, including community, specialty and long-term care pharmacies and one DME company.   “We're finding that very...