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The Trump administration finalized a hospital payment rule...that retains proposed cuts to off-campus clinics and the 340B drug discount program...The changes outlined in the hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System rule come despite both cuts being struck down in legal challenges and amid major pushback from providers...The goal is to bring payments to off-campus clinics in line with standalone physicians' offices...“With the completion of the two-year phase-in, the cost sharing will be reduced to $9, saving beneficiaries an average of $14 each time they visit an off-campus department for a clinic visit in [calendar year] 2020,” the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said...CMS also finalized a proposed cut for the 340B program that cuts payments by 22.5% in 2020...READ MORE

...officers cannot explain how the medicine outlet in Kowloon became a victim of clearance operation..Store manager harmed by the chemical irritant, which engulfed Ming Yan Dispensary on Sunday...Police have apologised for firing tear gas into a pharmacy and restaurant in Hong Kong during a protest...READ MORE

Laura Joszt, Managing Editor at The American Journal of Managed Care. Welcome to This Week in Managed Care from the Managed Markets News Network

A substantial majority of independent pharmacies say they may close their doors in the next two years, and the main culprits are multi-billion-dollar corporate middlemen who are shaking them down for fees on medicines long after the point of sale, according to a new survey by the National Community Pharmacists Association...“Neighborhood pharmacies are being mugged in broad daylight and no one in Washington is doing anything about it,” said NCPA CEO B. Douglas Hoey. “If Congress or the administration don’t act soon, we’re going to see a wave of layoffs and store closures that will leave many patients stranded without access to a local pharmacist.”...READ MORE

Christina Mattina, welcome to This Week in Managed Care from the Managed Markets News Network

Amazon is going places with its free package pickup. The company has expanded its Counter pickup option to thousands of locations through its new store partners GNC, Stage Stores and Health Mart pharmacies...“For six years, my pharmacy team has served our community and made sure our patients get the care they need,” said Laura Temple, pharmacist and owner of Laura’s Health Mart Pharmacy in Azle, Texas. “Amazon Hub Counter has given my current patients a new, convenient way to pick up their Amazon packages, and it’s also brought in new neighbors who have then been introduced to the meaningful care at my pharmacy. I’m delighted to offer Counter in my local store.”...READ MORE

Laura Joszt, PTNN, Pharmacy Week in Review, this weekly video program provides our readers with an in-depth review of the latest news, product approvals, FDA rulings and more.

Nicole Grassano, PTNN, Pharmacy Week in Review, this weekly video program provides our readers with an in-depth review of the latest news, product approvals, FDA rulings and more.

With conditions like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease on the rise, providing in-store cognitive screening can fulfill an unmet need and could be an opportunity for pharmacies to advance their self-care initiatives...“There is an opportunity for retail pharmacists to take the lead in testing for early cognitive decline — in particular testing when it matters most, when a patient can take action to modify underlying risk factors...The proactive management of modifiable risk factors can delay or slow the onset or progression of the cognitive decline...“As retail pharmacy clinical services continue to evolve, cognitive screening can play an integral role in identifying individuals who will benefit most from early detection so they can make lifestyle modifications to lead healthier, better lives,”...READ MORE

One of the current problems with intraoperative resuscitation is the lack of organization...The “Perioperative Pharmacy Attendance for Intraoperative Codes” safety initiative attempts to tackle this problem by addressing the role of “medication procurement, compounding, and time recording.” Pharmacists can quickly assess and provide dosing recommendations...Pharmacist attendance also allows anesthesia professionals to perform alternative tasks during a code, as they are usually responsible for running the code. The anesthesia team and nursing staff can more efficiently procure equipment and supplies because the pharmacy team is now responsible for obtaining the medications...READ MORE