Senate bigwigs haven't forgotten Rx exemption
By Theresa Flaherty, Managing Editor
Updated Tue January 26, 2010
Sens. Max Baucus and Charles Grassley sent a letter to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius yesterday asking her to cut some slack for pharmacies that haven't been accredited yet. The deadline for pharmacies passed Jan. 1 and with all that's happening in Congress lately, including their Christmas recess and the recent upset in the Senate, the NCPA and other stakeholders have been slowed in their efforts to get the deadline extended.
If CMS starts revoking billing privileges, beneficiaries could lose access to needed supplies, they say.
We therefore respectfully request that you use discretion in implementing the accreditation
requirement for pharmacies in a manner that preserves beneficiaries' access to medical supplies
and equipment while Congress considers the best approach for addressing this issue.
Even if the current health reform bill goes down in flames, stakeholders expect Congress will continue to work on resolving the issue for pharmacies, based on unanimous support for the original deadline extension and broad bipartisan support for related provisions in the health care reform packages.
Theresa Flaherty
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