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PharmPhlash!
House Health Panel to Hear Medicaid Testimony 1/24
January 20, 2012
The House Public Health Committee will continue the Legislature's interim focus on the state's transition to Medicaid managed care in a Jan. 24 hearing that will include more pharmacy testimony on the devastating impact of the plan on pharmacies and patients.
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Vital Details for Those Attending 11/28 Medicaid Hearing
November 23, 2011
The House Human Services Committee will hold a special hearing on Nov. 28 to hear testimony on its interim charge to research the implementation of Medicaid managed care in Texas, the transition of the Medicaid/CHIP Vendor Drug Program to managed care and ways to increase transparency, accountability and efficiency in the state agencies under its oversight.
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House Panel to Hear Testimony on Managed Rx Care
November 22, 2011
The House Human Services Committee will hold a special hearing on Nov. 28 to take invited and public testimony on its interim charge to research the implementation of Medicaid managed care in Texas, the transition of the Medicaid/CHIP Vendor Drug Program to managed care and ways to increase transparency, accountability and efficiency in agencies that fall under the committee's oversight.
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Urge Legislators to Keep Up Pressure on Medicaid Rx
October 20, 2011
Your calls to legislators are having the desired effect, as concern over the managed-care transition is building to a boil.
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HHSC Adds Medicaid Rx Training Session for 10/12
October 11, 2011
The Texas Health & Human Services Commission (HHSC) recently scheduled an additional Medicaid managed care provider training session for pharmacists in the Hidalgo Service Area at 1 p.m. tomorrow -- Wednesday, October 12.
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Urge Legislators to Pressure HHSC on Medicaid Rx
October 4, 2011
We need you to contact your state representative and senator as soon as possible to urge them to call the Texas Health & Human Services Commission (HHSC) to demand changes in the way HHSC is managing the transition to managed pharmacy care for Medicaid in Texas.
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Urge Your U.S. Rep. to Oppose Managed-Care Waiver NOW
September 7, 2011
We need you to contact your Texas congressional representative as soon as possible to urge him or her to sign on to the letter below from U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett to oppose the CMS waiver requested by Texas HHSC to transition to managed pharmacy care in Texas.
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Time Running Out to File Opposition to Medicaid Managed Care
August 25, 2011
Here is an opportunity for you to help prevent Medicaid prescription drug benefits from going to managed care in Texas.
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RSVP BY TODAY TO ATTEND VITAL MANAGED CARE MEETING WITH U.S. REP. DOGGETT IN SAN ANTONIO.
August 22, 2011
Please email Jennifer Olsen or call 512-992-1219 by the end of the day on Monday, August 22.
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Join Rep. Lloyd Doggett on August 23 to Discuss Opposition to Medicaid Managed Care & the Carve-in of Pharmacy
August 17, 2011
TPBC invites you to a special town hall meeting with U.S. Rep.Lloyd Doggett in San Antonio on August 23.
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Petition Deadline Extended for Supporting Collective Bargaining
August 3, 2011
NCPA has extended until August 8 the deadline for signing a petition in support of U.S. Rep. Tom Marino's H.R. 1946, the Preserving our Hometown Independent Pharmacies Act.
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Support Collective Bargaining for Independent Pharmacies
July 22, 2011
As you may be aware, U.S. Rep. Tom Marino (R-PA) has introduced H.R. 1946, the Preserving our Hometown Independent Pharmacies Act , which would provide an antitrust exemption for community pharmacies that would allow them to join together when negotiating contracts with PBMs
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Brown Amendment denied, but contractor integrity concept lives
June 28, 2011
The huge health care bill passed both houses yesterday and is on its way to the governor, without the Brown Amendment we all fought so hard for. However, our efforts definitely left a mark.
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Email address format for senate and house
June 27, 2011
The email addresses are: firstname.lastname@house.state.tx.us ; firstname.lastname@senate.state.tx.us
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Who stripped the "Contractor Integrity" amendments from SB 7, the biggest health care bill of the session?
June 27, 2011
You know the story we are about to tell you. But go ahead and read it to get you in the mood to call the Governor, Lt. Governor and House Speaker.
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SB 7 on House floor Friday -- URGENT!!
June 23, 2011
Following some marathon meetings looking for compromise and consensus on the many SB 7 amendments, the Brown Amendment and contractor integrity are up for discussion again Friday.
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URGENT!! Put the teeth back in SB 7 'Bad actor' language
June 20, 2011
The health plans convinced certain legislators to switch the language in SB 7 intended to set minimum standards for HMOs and PBMs wanting to contract with HHSC. The way it reads now is an invitation to defraud Texas taxpayers.
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House and Senate members on break till Monday. This is the time to call them at their district office.
June 17, 2011
Salvation of our "bad actor" amendment is uncertain right now. Every time we check on the amendment, the language has been changed to be even more permissive for the state to hire bad actors in the HMO and PBM fields.
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Submit your opposition to Medicaid managed care
June 16, 2011
Here is an opportunity for you to halt Medicaid prescription drug benefits from going to managed care.
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Now call House conferees AND your state rep about the loophole in contractor integrity amendment
June 15, 2011
The House has shown its support for contractor integrity and the Brown Amendment to SB 7, the Medicaid managed care bill.
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Past PharmPhlashes
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Newsletters
January 19, 2012: Richard Beck to Leave TPBC Executive Post on May 1
Richard Beck, R.Ph., executive director of the Texas Pharmacy Business Council, will resign from his position May 1 to pursue other opportunities, TPBC announces. Beck has led TPBC since its inception in 2008.
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November 4, 2011: Important Update on APRx Managed-Care Lawsuit
On August 29, APRx filed a lawsuit in Travis County over HHSC's failure to comply with state procedural requirements requiring meaningful public notice and public comment concerning its waiver request to CMS and the carve-in of the Medicaid drug benefits into managed care.
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September 26, 2011: APRx Seeks Summary Judgment in Managed-Care Lawsuit;
9 Texas Congressmen Send Letter of Opposition to CMS
American Pharmacies (APRx), the parent company of TPBC, has filed a Motion for Summary Judgment (MSJ) in its ongoing lawsuit against Texas Health & Human Services Commission (HHSC) over HHSC's planned transition to managed Rx care for Texas Medicaid.
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September 16, 2011: CMS Gives Preliminary Approval for Texas Managed Care;
House Committee Gets an Earful on Rx Dispensing Fee
TPBC and American Pharmacies (APRx) have just learned that CMS has granted preliminary approval to the state to proceed with its transition to managed care for Texas Medicaid & CHIP.
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September 1, 2011: Legislative supporters important, especially with limited funds
The 82nd legislative session was a challenge for everyone due to the enormous budget deficit and an unwillingness to dip into the rainy day fund.
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August 30, 2011: The Managed-Care Storm is Darkening Our Rx Horizon
It may not be raining anywhere in Texas, but the storm clouds are definitely getting dark on the pharmacy horizon.
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August 11, 2011: Scaled-Back Dispensing Fee Cut Begins Sept. 1
Starting September 1, your dispensing fee for each Medicaid prescription will be reduced by 85 cents.
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July 14, 2011: What starts in Texas changes the world
With a tip of the hat to the University of Texas for the headline, we see that our efforts in this legislative and special session are sending ripples throughout the country.
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June 10, 2011: Pharmacy protection success, but still fighting against pharmacy in Medicaid managed care
Obviously, your phone calls worked magic for Wednesday's vote on SB 7 to prohibit HHSC from contracting with "bad actor" HMOs and PBMs.
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May 30, 2011: A little bit of heaven, a little bit of limbo
Once again, a session is drawing to a close with important bills left pending, including some of our priorities.
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May 16, 2011: Good news, not-so-good news, & another request for your phone calls
Tensions are high now that everyone is counting days, not weeks, till the end of this legislative session. Here's where our bills stand:
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May 9, 2011: Pulling the trigger on back-up plans
These last few weeks of the session are crammed full of twists and turns as everyone tries to get their bills on the floor for a final vote.
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April 3, 2011: Legislative Update: A hard fought battle lost on a technicality, Round 2 Wednesday
Pharmacy fought Friday and won the hearts and minds of the Texas House of Representatives on amendments by Rep. Fred Brown (R-Bryan) and pharmacist Rep. Chuck Hopson (R-Jacksonville) to amend HB 1, the House appropriation bill.
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March 31, 2011: 2 questions about the future of YOUR pharmacy
Can you remain in business if a PBM restricts its pharmacy network and all your Medicaid patients are forced to use another pharmacy? What if you take a financial loss on each Medicaid prescription? Do you know where your state representative stands on letting HHSC give Medicaid to the PBMs?
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March 28, 2011: Legislative Update
Thanks to everyone who made calls last week to the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Medicaid. Your efforts slowed down the juggernaut that would cut community pharmacy to the bone. But the danger continues.
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February 28, 2011: Throw it on the wall & see what sticks
No one doubts the fact that the Texas budget is more than $20 billion in the hole for the coming biennium. But the frantic proposals thrown out by HHSC are contradictory, unproven, and counterproductive.
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February 22, 2011: Medicaid managed care for pharmacy wastes state $$
One wrong-headed school of thought is to "carve-in" the Vendor Drug Program to managed care and expand Medicaid managed care across the state.
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February 19, 2011: Pharmacy friends appointed to key House committees
Speaker Joe Strauss announced his House committee appointments Wednesday, and friends of pharmacy are in all the right places!
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January 25, 2011: Hidden tax & staffing restrictions: What are they thinking?!
By now, you have all heard about the budget woes of the State of Texas. We were all expecting it to be austere, to say the least, but quite frankly, it was shockingly barebones.
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January 13, 2011: They're off and running; Will you be a pharmacy leader this session?
If you're willing to be a "go-to" leader who will send e-mails and make phone calls as necessary, please sign up for the Rapid Response Team.
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December 23, 2010: Medicaid, Medicaid & more Medicaid
If I had to give this session a title, it would be "Medicaid, Medicaid, and More Medicaid"! Sure, we have a couple of other issues, but the damage from proposed Medicaid cuts is enormous.
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November 16, 2010: Hot issues for pharmacy: Medicaid 'carve-in' & elimination of Medicaid
Under HHSC's proposed managed care regime, health plans would be paid on a capitation basis for a fixed amount per patient, regardless of the number or type of services.
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October 26, 2010: Good news from NCPA annual convention
In his farewell speech yesterday, outgoing NCPA President and Texas pharmacist Joe Harmison went over his checklist of NCPA accomplishments under his administration.
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October 12, 2010: Overwhelming Support for Lawsuit
The phone calls and e-mails began last week right after the announcement that six American Pharmacies board members, four of whom sit on the TPBC board, are suing CVS Caremark.
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Past Newsletters
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