Front-Line Nursing Home Pharmacies, Seniors Under Their Specialized Care Warrant CARES Act Emergency Funding
Economic Stress Taking Toll on Pharmacists Responsible for Life-Saving Medication Management
Washington, DC – As economic stress mounts on front-line nursing home pharmacies and pharmacists, the Senior Care Pharmacy Coalition (SCPC) today stressed the urgency of ensuring long-term care (LTC) pharmacies receive federal relief funds from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Relief is urgently needed to assure uninterrupted patient access to the 8-9 daily prescriptions, on average, vulnerable seniors in LTC settings need.
LTC pharmacies are eligible to receive Emergency Funds created by the CARES Act, but HHS has given no indication it intends to provide relief to LTC pharmacies. Alan G. Rosenbloom, President and CEO of SCPC, noted that funding announcements from the Health Care and Social Services Emergency Fund, both yesterday and earlier this month, failed to include provisions for LTC pharmacies.
“During a life-endangering crisis of this magnitude, it is essential to ensure the ongoing viability of the medication-management specialists who dispense to nursing home patients,” said Rosenbloom. “These front-line professionals are protecting seniors from potentially fatal drug-interactions and preventing potential catastrophe.”
“CARES Act funding to sustain LTC pharmacy’s essential, life-saving medication distribution in nursing homes is more than just sound policy – it’s common sense,” Rosenbloom continued. “The role of this service inside of America’s nursing homes is life-saving, and patients in these settings are the frail, medically compromised, and particularly COVID-vulnerable.”
Furthermore, the economic impact of COVID-19 on LTC pharmacies is stark and worsening. According to Rosenbloom, SCPC members are reporting higher costs and precipitous revenue declines:
- In March, average LTC pharmacy revenues dropped 15 percent or more — and areas hit hardest by the crisis saw decreases of 20-25 percent. Comparatively, retail businesses across the country saw a drop of about 8.7 percent.
- Revenue will continue to decrease in April and May, members report and are likely to continue to decline until hospital admissions rebound — which could take months.
- Overall operation costs are up as much as 6 percent or more across the country as LTC pharmacies have seen significant cost increases driven by PPE acquisition, social distancing measures, increased on-site supplies to offset possible shortages, and necessary enhanced infection control and sanitation protocols.
- Workforce layoffs of non-essential employees and reduced wages have already been implemented with more employment austerity measures expected.
“HHS action is urgently needed before the LTC pharmacy system breaks down, and patients in nursing homes and other LTC facilities lose uninterrupted access to essential medications,” Rosenbloom concluded.
Recent Posts
-
Senior Care Pharmacy Coalition Applauds Chairman Comer and House Oversight Committee for Shedding Light on Harmful PBM Practices, Encourages Congress to Advance PBM Reform Legislation Heard Today in House Energy and Commerce Committee Health Subcommittee
The Senior Care Pharmacy Coalition (SCPC), the leading national voice for the long-term care pharmacy community, released a statement today regarding the House Oversight Committee’s hearing on pharmacy benefit managers.
-
Stuck in the middle, LTC pharmacies could be dangerously squeezed by drug price negotiations
Any lower drug prices that result from White House efforts to negotiate on behalf of Medicare beneficiaries may lead to short-term gains for nursing homes, but there also could be a steep price to pay in the long-term, experts warned this week. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on Tuesday announced the first 10 drugs covered by Medicare Part D that will be included in negotiations running through 2024. They are all commonly prescribed drugs that treat conditions ranging from diabetes to arthritis and heart failure.
-
Biden’s Plans to Reduce Cost of Medicare Drugs To Send Ripple Effects Through Nursing Home Industry
Following the Biden Administration’s bid this week to reduce the price of certain drugs – many of which are commonly used in nursing homes – experts are cautioning that the changes may negatively impact the bottomline of organizations in the sector. As Medicare Part D price negotiations for these drugs come into focus this week, the Senior Care Pharmacy Coalition (SCPC), for one, is warning that changes to Part D might cause “collateral damage” to long-term care pharmacies, the patients they serve and operator partners.
Stay in the Know
Get the latest news and updates on issues impacting the long-term pharmacy community.