Releases & Statements

The Senior Care Pharmacy Coalition (SCPC), the only Washington-based organization exclusively representing the interests of long-term care (LTC) pharmacies, has responded to a Request for Information issued by a bipartisan group of Senators led by Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) regarding policy recommendations to improve care for enrollees dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid programs (dual eligibles) and substantially reduce the amount of money both programs otherwise would expect to spend over time.

WASHINGTON, July 26, 2022 — Brian Kramer, R.Ph., MBA, President of Forum Extended Care Pharmacy based in Chicago, Ill. will serve as the new Chairman of the Senior Care Pharmacy Coalition (SCPC), the Washington D.C.-based advocacy organization announced today.

The Senior Care Pharmacy Coalition (SCPC) has submitted a comment letter to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding the agency’s notice of a policy to require that pharmacies include a “mail-back” envelope with every prescription dispensed in an outpatient setting. The notice, which is not a formal proposal to change existing policy, concerns a policy that would modify the current Opioid Analgesic Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy.

The Senior Care Pharmacy Coalition (SCPC), the only Washington-based organization exclusively representing the interests of long-term care (LTC) pharmacies applauds the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for yesterday’s decision by to investigate Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) and the vertically integrated health care conglomerates which own them.

By Alan Rosenbloom As anyone who has been prescribed medication knows, pharmacies play a crucial role in our health care system. This is especially true for older people, since their reliance on medications to treat their overall health care needs increases. While younger, healthier people can turn to a local retail pharmacist, people with medically […]

Limited community access to LTC pharmacy services has implications for achieving health equity in LTC. The confluence of needs for long-term care and chronic health care services among Medicare beneficiaries who need LTC should be central to policy making. Congress and CMS should craft integrated policies that address chronic health care and LTC needs for individuals living in the community, and medication management should be central to such efforts.

Dear Administrator Brooks-LaSure: The Senior Care Pharmacy Coalition (SCPC) appreciates the opportunity to comment on the CMS Proposed Rule entitled “Medicare Program: Contract Year 2023 Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Benefits Programs;” Agency Docket Number CMS-4192-P (the Proposed Rule).1 SCPC is the only Washington-based organization exclusively representing the […]

Dear Director Seshamani:  The Senior Care Pharmacy Coalition (SCPC) appreciates the opportunity to comment on the Part D provisions of the 2023 CMS Call Letter entitled, “Advance Notice of Methodological Changes for Calendar Year (CY) 2023 for Medicare Advantage (MA) Capitation Rates and Part C and Part D Payment Policies” (the “Call Letter” or the […]

The FTC must act to curb the anti-competitive practices of PBMs Washington, D.C. – Yesterday, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) deadlocked on whether to begin a study on the effect large pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) have on drug prices and practices that may disadvantage independent and specialty pharmacies, as well as the patients they serve. […]