By Valerie DeBenedette, DrugTopics
Here’s a sentence that has been true for millennia: Change is coming. In pharmacy, for the next six months to two years, this could be truer than ever as laws and regulations come into effect that could benefit the profession.
Change is coming. What policy changes might be nearer rather than further off and how will they affect the practice of pharmacy?Some expected changes have been long sought for, while others are of more recent vintage. Many will come through new or modified state and federal legislation or regulations.
But what policy changes might be nearer rather than further off and how will they affect the practice of pharmacy? We’ve narrowed it down to four areas of change and then asked some experts what to expect.
- PBM Transparency Rule Changes: Many states have passed legislation related to transparency on the part of PBMs. Greater transparency would help retail pharmacies understand reimbursement policies and rates.
- DIR Fee Changes: A bill has been proposed in the House—HR 5958, “Phair Pricing Act of 2018”—which seeks to clarify the metrics used to determine DIR fees.
- Provider Status Changes: Expanding the scope of practice for pharmacists is being considered in state legislatures and in Congress.
- Compounding Changes: Changes to the policies for compounding pharmacies are on their way, both in standards issued by the United States Pharmacopeia-National Formulary (USP) and in the oversight of these facilities by the FDA and state boards.
Read the full article to learn more about each of these four policy changes
