TxRx flash

October 29, 2009

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


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Texas 81st legislative session success list
   Regulation of Rx discount cards

PBM transparency in state contracts
 
Mail order parity

Call your legislators NOW!
Ask for implementation delay
ERS is playing hurry-up offense with a totally new playbook as they implement pharmacy reimbursement reductions. The defense is shifting positions trying to anticipate the play. Seeing the confusion, coach needs to call a time out. That's what we are urging you to do, immediately. The play clock is running down, and we'll be out of time by 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30.

You have fewer than 24 hours to call your state representative and state senator to let them know about this rushed change in the ERS/Caremark contract. ERS should delay implementation so everyone, including ERS, Caremark, pharmacies, patients, and legislators have time to know exactly what's going on.

Ask your representative to:
  1. Sign a letter available through Cheryl Lively in Rep. Chuck Hopson's office.
  2. Contact House Speaker Joe Strauss (R-San Antonio) and ask him to advise ERS to delay implementation of the contract changes.
Ask your state senator to:
  1. Sign a letter available through Sara Gonzalez in Sen. Leticia Van de Putte's office.
  2. Contact Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and ask him to advise ERS to delay in implementation of the new contract changes.
We sent you all the details in Tuesday's PharmPhlash, so we won't go over everything again. ERS could resolve this problem quickly if they would adjust the reimbursement formula to eliminate cuts to pharmacies while maintaining cost neutrality for ERS. This is what other health plans are doing nationwide.

Patients and pharmacies alike are confused by contradictory information as to who is or is not participating in the ERS/Caremark contract amendment. We are being told the big chains are returning to the ERS network, but beneficiaries are being told otherwise when they call Caremark. Some of our independent pharmacists have opted to stay in the network and have contracted with Caremark, but their patients are being told the pharmacy is not in the network.

Could Caremark have worked out new contracts with the big chains so they will remain in the network? We know Caremark is not offering any deals to independent pharmacy.

Click here to find out who your state representative and senator is, and how to reach him or her. Call them right now!

ERS is throwing patients and pharmacies off the pier to see who can swim. The only way to stop this is for YOU TO CALL YOUR LEGISLATORS NOW! Later is too late!

 Please let us know who you contacted and their response.

If you decide to no longer participate in the ERS plan, we would appreciate knowing that as well.

Did we say to call NOW? Just in case you missed it: Call your state legislators NOW, certainly no later than 2 p.m. Friday. Ask them to sign the letters and contact House Speaker Joe Strauss or Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst to insist ERS delay implementation of this confusing and unfair contract amendment.

Stay tuned!
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