As I continue my annual road trip across Iowa this summer, I’m rewarded at virtually every stop in each of Iowa’s 99 counties to rediscover the singular trait that makes Iowans stand out.
Iowans take pride in their communities. The schools, fire and police stations, hospitals, libraries and places of worship serve as the civic building blocks that play an essential role in the lives of residents.
The neighborhood community pharmacy has long served as one of the cornerstones on Main Street and town squares across Iowa.
Those of us in a certain generation may recall going to the local pharmacy after school to get an ice cream soda. Few probably cared to know that the neighborhood pharmacy dispensed more than sweet treats.
But for generations Iowans have counted on the local pharmacist for advice as they dispensed life-saving medications. Now more than ever, older patients especially value the convenience and reservoir of trust that comes with the neighborhood pharmacy.
Although the old-fashioned soda fountains are waning in number, the essential services fulfilled by neighborhood pharmacists and their staffs are anything but out of fashion.
That’s why I pushed so hard to safeguard access for Medicare beneficiaries to get their prescriptions filled by their local pharmacies when Congress hammered out details on the first-ever Medicare prescription drug benefit.
Thanks in part to my leadership, the new Medicare law requires prescription drug benefit plans to prove enough participating pharmacies are signed on to serve beneficiaries in rural areas. What’s more, the law requires a prescription drug plan to accept any pharmacy willing to accept the plan’s terms and conditions for participating in its network. The law also prohibits any plan from requiring enrollees only to use mail-order pharmacies.
When Medicare Part D launched in January, the transition experienced significant growing pains. Most Iowans who tried to fill a prescription in January may recall inordinate delays and confusion. Pharmacists did their best to survive the storm and hope for blue skies in the weeks ahead.
Working to resolve enrollment problems and other glitches, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which runs the program, took swift action to beef up its call center and require prescription drug plans to do the same.
Iowa pharmacists have told me things are running more smoothly but significant road blocks remain because some plans: did not disclose enough information for them to gauge the reimbursements they would receive; delayed updating their pricing standards, which can disadvantage pharmacies; and used heavy-handed contracting methods.
Taking this feedback very seriously, I am seeking swift action by the Department of Health and Human Services and CMS to investigate and resolve these issues. A bipartisan coalition of U.S. Senators signed a letter urging CMS to require prescription drug plans to disclose more pricing information to pharmacists; update daily its pricing standards; permit for the electronic transfer of reimbursements; and, allow local pharmacies to fill extended prescriptions. In a separate bipartisan letter to the internal watchdog at HHS, we also requested a review of plans’ payments made to pharmacists. Moreover, we want assurance from the Office of Inspector General that networks are complying with standards set by Congress to ensure beneficiaries retain adequate access to conveniently located pharmacies.
Fixing these problems through administrative rules changes is a faster remedy than legislative channels. Adopting these remedies would give local pharmacies the shot in the arm they need to continue participating in Medicare Part D.
That’s the most important outcome for Iowa beneficiaries who count on their hometown pharmacy for convenient access to their life-saving medications. Main street pharmacists across Iowa have developed long-standing relationships with their patients. The sense of loyalty and trust runs both ways. They understand their patients’ health concerns and offer a level of personal service that makes the neighborhood pharmacy such an integral part of Iowa communities.
From my leadership position in Washington, I’ve prescribed a list of policy changes to help soothe what’s ailing independent pharmacies. Pharmacists understand they can better help their patients by listening. Open communication is the same prescription I’ve long used to keep in touch with my constituents.
Keeping tabs on public policy after Congress writes the laws is part of my job. The public and private sectors know this Iowa senator doesn’t overlook Constitutional oversight responsibilities. That’s why I’m working to ensure the federal government administers the new Medicare law with the right elixir to help keep the doors of Iowa’s hometown pharmacies open for business for generations to come.