NCPA Urges CMS to Preserve Patient Access to Durable Medical Equipment by Suspending Looming Pharmacy Accreditation Requirement
ALEXANDRIA, Va.-(Business Wire)-September 14, 2009 - The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA), has written a letter to Charlene Frizzera, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Acting Administrator, urging a suspension of the Medicare Part B Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics and Supplies (DMEPOS) accreditation requirement scheduled for October 1. Pharmacies, already regulated and licensed by the states, should not have to undergo this time-consuming, expensive and redundant process in order to continue selling DMEPOS to their patients, such as diabetes testing strips.
Both the U.S. House and Senate have inserted language into health care reform bills adding pharmacists to the list of health care professionals exempted from this regulation. However, there is virtually no chance those legislative bodies will pass their respective bills, get them reconciled, voted on for final passage, and then have them signed into law by the President in the two and half weeks remaining between now and the deadline. As a result of this conflict between Congress’ clearly expressed legislative intent and the time constraints provided by the current regulation, NCPA believes it would be prudent for CMS to use its existing regulatory authority to simply suspend the deadline. This will avoid the confusion and disruption of care for the patients of community pharmacies.
Below is a link to the letter that provides a more detailed explanation of NCPA’s request of CMS:
http://www.ncpanet.org/pdf/leg/ncpalettercmsmedb.pdf
The National Community Pharmacists Association, founded in 1898, represents the nation’s community pharmacists, including the owners of more than 23,000 pharmacies. The nation’s independent pharmacies, independent pharmacy franchises, and independent chains dispense nearly half of the nation’s retail prescription medicines. To learn more go to www.ncpanet.org.
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