November 29, 2007
Senator Max Baucus, Montana
507 Senate Hart Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Senator Baucus:
I am writing on behalf of the 500 plus members of the Montana Pharmacy Association to express our thanks and appreciation for your introduction of S. 1951 on August 2nd of this year. Passage of this bill is very important right now to community pharmacies in Montana and across the entire country. Our discussions with you in the summer of 2006 have borne great fruit. We thank you once again for the time and attention you gave us then and for your continued interest in this profession and its issues.
Since August we have been working with other state and national pharmacy organizations to obtain additional co-sponsors for the legislation. We were especially pleased to see Senator Tester co-sponsor them; and to see that Rep. Frank Pallone (NJ) has introduced a companion bill to S. 1951 in the House of Representatives which is HR3700. It is imperative to that S 1951 passes before the year end because the Deficit Reduction Act that defines Average Manufacture Price goes into effect on the first of the year. If this goes into effect, pharmacies will lose, on an average, 28% on any generic medication dispensed.
The healthcare debate continues and the key issues are still cost, quality and access. Our community pharmacists are the most accessible healthcare providers in the country. We still have pharmacies in Baker, Troy, Chinook and many other small and medium sized Montana communities. Thanks for working with us to be sure they are treated fairly so that they can stay in business and continue serving their patients and customers.
Thanks Again Senator Baucus,
James P. Seifert, President
P.O. Box 316
Troy Mt. 59935
(406) 295 4724
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