News from Texas Pharmacy Business Council

We have a great opportunity to save the state's Vendor Drug Program money while improving outcomes for our patients. Those of you who are Texas Health and Human Services VDP participants are receiving surveys asking what pharmacy care management services you provide patients who use specialty drugs.

The specialty drugs include those indicated for the prophylaxis of respiratory syncytial virus, blood factor, or other biologic or therapy that requires complex care.

The survey is the result of SB 1645 by pharmacy champions Senator Leticia Van de Putte (D-San Antonio) and Representative Chuck Hopson (R-Jacksonville). And it couldn't be more timely: The state of Texas is facing a budget shortfall of up to $18 billion!

First, fill out the survey ASAP. It's due back to VDP by Monday, May 31. Yes, that's an odd deadline since it's Memorial Day, but there it is, nonetheless. Send it to Tania.Colon@hhsc.state.tx.us.

Second, add a comment on the survey pointing out even more money can be saved by expanding the pharmacy care management services to medications other than just specialty drugs.

Third, we want to hear from you about Pharmacy Care Management services you're currently providing or think should be provided through the HHSC VDP.

Both Medicare Part D and the new Health Care Reform Act include all medications, not just specialty drugs, in what typically is called Medication Therapy Management. Studies make it clear that proper MTM services increase compliance and reduce adverse outcomes. It's a no-brainer that we can help HHSC save money!

In fact, MTM has far greater potential to reduce the state's Medicaid costs than the soon-to-be-implemented 1 percent reduction in the dispensing fee. I'm talking with Andy Vasquez, deputy director of the Medicaid/CHIP Vendor Drug Program, about involving stakeholders to look at even more ways to save the state money.

Bottom line is that the 1 percent cut may seem small now, but we know it's really larger than it appears as we pointed out in testimony this past February. We may be facing larger cuts during the upcoming legislative session as they draft a budget for the next biennium. The information you provide us means we will be prepared to present cost-cutting ideas that will prevent further cuts in reimbursement and jeopardize Medicaid recipient's access to community pharmacy services.

So

turn in that survey,

add a comment about using MTM on medications other than just specialty drugs, and

share your best practices and ideas with us.

Stay tuned!

Richard E. Beck, RPh
Executive Director, Texas Pharmacy Business Council