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Ensuring patient access to quality pharmacy care services, the viability of community pharmacy and the pharmacy profession.


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Click links below to view Past Newsletters and Past PharmPhlashes




Past Newsletters

January 19, 2012: Richard Beck to Leave TPBC Executive Post on May 1

November 4, 2011: Important Update on APRx Managed-Care Lawsuit

September 26, 2011: APRx Seeks Summary Judgment in Managed-Care Lawsuit; 9 Texas Congressmen Send Letter of Opposition to CMS 

September 16, 2011: CMS Gives Preliminary Approval for Texas Managed Care; House Committee Gets an Earful on Rx Dispensing Fee

September 1, 2011: Legislative supporters important, especially with limited funds

August 30, 2011: The Managed-Care Storm is Darkening Our Rx Horizon

August 11, 2011: Scaled-Back Dispensing Fee Cut Begins Sept. 1

July 14, 2011: What starts in Texas changes the world

June 10, 2011: Pharmacy protection success, but still fighting against pharmacy in Medicaid managed care

May 30, 2011: A little bit of heaven, a little bit of limbo

May 16, 2011: Good news, not-so-good news, & another request for your phone calls

May 9, 2011: Pulling the trigger on back-up plans

April 4, 2011: Legislative update: Urge your state representative to co-sponsor CSHB 3678

April 3, 2011: Legislative update: A hard fought battle lost on a technicality, Round 2 Wednesday

March 28, 2011: Legislative update

February 28, 2011: Throw it on the wall & see what sticks

February 22, 2011: Medicaid managed care for pharmacy wastes state $$

February 19, 2011: Pharmacy friends appointed to key House committees

January 25, 2011: Hidden tax & staffing restrictions: What are they thinking?!

January 13, 2011: They're off and running; Will you be a pharmacy leader this session?

December 23, 2010: Medicaid, Medicaid & more Medicaid

November 16, 2010: Hot issues for pharmacy: Medicaid 'carve-in' & elimination of Medicaid

October 26, 2010: Good news from NCPA annual convention

October 12, 2010: Overwhelming Support for Lawsuit

September 28, 2010: It's time to help our PharmacyPhriends

September 14, 2010: AMP rule trumps PBMs & mail order

August 31, 2010: Should community pharmacies be accredited?

August 17, 2010: TSBP and TPBC agree to disagree

August 3, 2010: The road ahead for pharmacy and the Texas legislature

July 20, 2010: State Board of Pharmacy urged to create pharmacy advisory board

June 22, 2010: TDI following up on legislative requirements affecting independent pharmacy

June 8, 2010: Walgreens dropping Caremark biz; Medco taking on both PBMs

May 25, 2010: Have you received your VDP survey? Texas looking at MTM to save $$$

May 11, 2010: Influential D.C. leaders attending NCPA legislative conference

April 27, 2010: Corralling a herd of regs & legislation

April 14, 2010: Calls continue to come in about CVS Caremark business practices

March 30, 2010: Interim hearings & proposed rules keep TPBC hopping

March 2, 2010: TPBC draws line in the dirt in PBM battle

February 16, 2010: HHSC asks for Medicaid provider cuts

February 2, 2010: Taking our story of PBM transparency success to D.C.

January 19, 2010: Mission #1: Re-Elect Chuck Hopson

December 15, 2009: We're not there yet -- Significant progress made in TRS PBM contract

December 1, 2009: Work with Houston station pays off with disclosures about CVS Caremark merger

October 6, 2009: Tamiflu compounding issues prove how inflexible PBMs are

September 22, 2009: Community pharmacy scores well in Baucus health care reform bill

September 9, 2009: "Unjust enrichment" & "windfall profits?!"

August 25, 2009: AWP rollback equivalents ignored, plans using WAC-based formula

August 11, 2009: TPBC celebrates successes, sets plans for next legislative session


Past PharmPhlashes

January 20, 2012: House Health Panel to Hear Medicaid Testimony 1/24 

November 23, 2011: Vital Details for Those Attending 11/28 Medicaid Hearing

November 22, House Panel to Hear Testimony on Managed Rx Care

October 20, 2011: Urge Legislators to Keep Up Pressure on Medicaid Rx

October 11, 2011: HHSC Adds Medicaid Rx Training Session for 10/12

October 4, 2011: Urge Legislators to Pressure HHSC on Medicaid Rx

September 7, 2011: Urge Your U.S. Rep. to Oppose Managed-Care Waiver NOW

August 25, 2011: Time Running Out to File Opposition to Medicaid Managed Care

August 22, 2011: RSVP BY TODAY TO ATTEND VITAL MANAGED CARE MEETING WITH U.S. REP. DOGGETT IN SAN ANTONIO.

August 17, 2011: Join Rep. Lloyd Doggett on August 23 to Discuss Opposition to Medicaid Managed Care & the Carve-in of Pharmacy

August 3, 2011: Petition Deadline Extended for Supporting Collective Bargaining

July 22, 2011: Support Collective Bargaining for Independent Pharmacies 

June 28, 2011: Brown Amendment denied, but contractor integrity concept lives

June 27, 2011: Email address format for senate and house

June 27, 2011: Who stripped the "Contractor Integrity" amendments from SB 7, the biggest health care bill of the session?

June 23, 2011: SB 7 on House floor Friday -- URGENT!!

June 20, 2011: URGENT!! Put the teeth back in SB 7 'Bad actor' language

June 17, 2011: House and Senate members on break till Monday. This is the time to call them at their district office. 

June 16, 2011: Submit your opposition to Medicaid managed care

June 15, 2011: Now call House conferees AND your state rep about the loophole in contractor integrity amendment

June 15, 2011: Tell senators to beware of loophole in contractor integrity amendment to SB 7

June 8, 2011: Call your state rep before noon today

June 7, 2011: One more chance to keep bad actors out of Medicaid

May 25, 2011: It's not necessary to call Rep. Hopson! House conferees named, please call them, too.

May 24, 2011: Protect Medicaid managed care amendments, start calling now.

May 20, 2011: 3 out of 5 is pretty darn good

May 19, 2011: Call Now! Call your state rep NOW!!

May 19, 2011: Watch the Session from your computer

May 19, 2011: Hold Your Calls. Medicaid managed care postponed.

May 17, 2011: URGENT! Call your state representative beginning NOW in support of amendments to CSSB 23

May 13, 2011: Flood Appropriations Committee with calls to keep pharmacy out of Medicaid managed care!

May 10, 2011: Call to support Torres-Hopson AMENDMENT to HB 1951

May 10, 2011: Pulling the trigger on back-up plans

May 4, 2011: Is this the end of community pharmacy?

May 4, 2011: Call your senator ASAP and urge him/her to vote NO on suspending the rules for SB 546.

April 29, 2011: Keep your powder dry till the next PharmPhlash

April 28, 2011: Phone!! HHSC throwing community pharmacy to the wolves

April 19, 2011: Save $$--Audit PBMs

April 14, 2011: Wow! What a difference a phone call can make

April 13, 2011: Stop HHSC plan to hand over VDP to PBMs

April 12, 2011: Preserve your Medicaid patients' access to quality pharmacy

April 8, 2011: Urge your state representative to co-sponsor CSHB 3678

April 5, 2011: Prompt Pay makes it to the World Series!

April 5, 2011: Pick up the phone this morning for prompt pay and audit bill

March 31, 2011: 2 questions about the future of YOUR pharmacy

March 30, 2011: Urge support of Rep. Brown's amendments to keep pharmacy 'Carved Out' of HHSC Vendor Drug

March 23, 2011: HHSC/PhRMA rider reimburses at actual acquisition cost

March 18, 2011: FTC needs to rule on CVS Caremark investigation

March 16, 2011: Proposed cut down to $1. Work still to be done.

March 15, 2011: Misinformation leaves $2 Medicaid cut on the table

March 14, 2011: Medicaid MCOs on fishing expedition

March 13, 2011: $2 Medicaid fee cut still a threat!

March 6, 2011: Can you swallow a 37% cut in Medicaid reimbursements?

February 1, 2011: Another 1% Medicaid hit

January 28, 2011: VDP system unavailable Saturday night

December 15, 2010: What a great Christmas present! CMS drops final AMP provisions

November 29, 2010: Today best chance to block tax paperwork

November 19, 2010: VDP sets new Go Live date

November 18, 2010: Tricky Medicaid refill rules

November 10, 2010: Urgent Need for CVS Caremark EOBs

November 4, 2010: Election results: Good news & bad news

October 2, 2010: 6 Texas pharmacists file RICO suit against CVS Caremark

September 13, 2010: Call immediately! Don't be buried by paperwork - repeal 1099

June 29, 2010: TPBC urges stakeholder meeting on cost-saving measures

May 27, 2010: Heads up: Medicaid/CHIP payments delayed due to holidays

Medicaid/CHIP Help Desk tech problems

April 30, 2010: CMS excludes certain exocrine pancreatic insufficiency NDCs

March 22, 2010: Health care reform bill & pharmacy

March 3, 2010: Chuck Hopson wins without runoff!

February 25, 2010: Last chance to keep our representative on the ballot!

December 7, 2010: Contact state representatives and senators to insist TRS delay PBM contract to allow public comment.

December 3, 2009: Senate health reform bill must improve Medicaid generic reimbursement rates

November 19, 2009: 31 state leaders call ERS's hand on AWP pricing

November 16, 2009: Call state rep & senator to sign letter protesting ERS using pharmacy to fill its budget hole

November 6, 2009: U.S. House healthcare vote soon Pharmacy needs greater increase in Medicaid generic drug reimbursement

November 2, 2009: Caremark held accountable: ERS covering up shortfall by shortchanging pharmacy

October 29, 2009: Call your legislators NOW! Ask for implementation delay

October 27, 2009: Will you pull out of ERS/Caremark plan? Even big chains saying "no thanks"

October 15, 2009: ERS covers health plan losses slashes pharmacy reimbursements

October 8, 2009: Caremark sticking it to Texas pharmacies

October 8, 2009: New guidance on DMEPOS participation

September 10, 2009: CMS Approves Medicaid Reimbursement Plan

September 9, 2009: Don't Fight PBMs by Yourself: TDI is Your Ally

September 3, 2009: Ignore that subpoena!

August 27, 2009: Received a Subpoena Duces Tecum?

July 31, 2009: Committee agrees to PBM & MTM amendments

July 30, 2009: Protect TX Medicaid pharmacy reimbursement rate


QUICK LINKS:
Academy of Independent Pharmacists - Texas | American Pharmacies | E-Prescribing Resource Center | Fight-4-Rx | HHSC Vendor Drug Program | International Academy of Compounding Pharmacies | National Community Pharmacists Association | Texas State Auditor's Report on PBM's


Texas Pharmacy Business Council is an organization of American Pharmacies and the Academy of Independent Pharmacists-Texas
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