NCPA, along with the American Pharmacists Association, American Society of Consultant Pharmacists, National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations, and American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, met with CMS leadership to discuss pharmacy concerns with the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program.
CMS staff at the meeting included Acting Administrator Stephanie Carlton and Deputy Administrator and Chief Policy and Regulatory Officer John Brooks.
At the meeting, NCPA and others called on CMS to:
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Require that either manufacturers or CMS prefund the MDPN program through the Part D plans, possibly like Medicare's Coverage Gap Discount Program, rather than requiring that pharmacies float the program as currently envisioned in the MDPN program;
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Strike language mandating pharmacies' participation in the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation program via PBM/plan contracts;
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Require timely reimbursement of manufacturer rebates in the MDPN program within prompt pay requirements;
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Require that the manufacturer rebate be the difference between Wholesale Acquisition Cost and the maximum fair price (MFP) of the drug;
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Require fair reimbursement in the MDPN program by PBMs at MFP for their ingredient costs, plus a dispensing fee, with no extraction of further concessions; and
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Amend egregious sections of its draft contracts with pharmacies in the MDPN program.
The MDPN program will begin Jan. 1, 2026. For NCPA's talking points on the MDPN program, click here. For NCPA's full comments on the draft contracts, click here.
Photo (from L to R): Jillanne Schulte (ASHP), Krystalyn Weaver (NASPA), Paul Abramowitz (ASHP), Chad Worz (ASCP), Arnold "Arnie" Clayman (ASCP), Steve Postal(NCPA), Ronna Hauser (NCPA), Stephanie Carlton (CMS), Tom Kraus (ASHP), Mike Baxter (APhA), Corey Whetzel (APhA). Not pictured: Doug Hoey (NCPA)—joined via teleconference.
