Recap on Current Legislation

Things are looking up in Montana. We are very fortunate to have such supporting representatives on pharmacy issues. Please thank Senator Tester for co-sponsoring S1951 and S1954. As of Monday Sept 24, 2007, Senator Tester co-sponsored Senatot Baucus’s pharmacy legislation S1954 ”Pharmacy Access improvement Act (PhAIM) of 2007” and S1951 “The Fair Medicaid Drug Payment Act”. You may view this legislation on GrizRph.com, In The Spotlight.

In addition, please call or e-mail Congressman Rehberg, to ask him to co-sponsor HR3140 “The Saving Our Community Pharmacies Act of 2007”. This is the final remaining piece of the pharmacy legislation puzzle. We can’t quit now with so much that we’ve gained. Rehberg’s office has already heard from all the usual pharmacists and individuals concerned about pharmacy legislation and are waiting to hear from more of those pharmacists and individuals deep in the trenches.

Let Congressman Rehberg know how devastating it would be to your pharmacy to be reimbursed on average 36% below acquisition cost for the medications you have spent time and money on filling, not to mention special packaging. Then please take it one step further and explain how this will affect your patients, whom you take so well care of, by either having to reject Medicaid patients or having to close your doors due to low reimbursement. Please, it just takes a few minutes…Contact Congressman Rehberg.

Read all about HR3140 at GrizRPh.com, In the Spotlight. In addition, please thank Congressman Rehberg for all his previous support of pharmacy by co-sponsoring all the other important pharmacy legislation in the House... such as HR1474 and HR971.

These are all very crucial pieces of pharmacy legislation and we should be very thankful to have such supporting representatives. If you haven’t done so, please call or e-mail their offices to thank them at www.grizrph.com/repcontact.htm.

LIST OF CURRENT FEDERAL PHARMACY LEGISLATION
As of 9/30/07

Sincerely,
Eric Shields, Pharm D