PHARMACIST STEVE

FTC Sues Top Pharmacy Benefit Managers Over Insulin Prices https://www.medpagetoday.com/washington-watch/washington-watch/112064 The three companies process about 80% of prescriptions in the U.S. The federal government is suing three big pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) over a system of drug rebates that regulators say has made the price of insulin soar for patients with diabetes. Three companies that […]

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I have read some of these small paragraphs several times and I WONDER what the final interpretation of what these small paragraphs are going to end up being what will be applied to many parts of our healthcare system and will that really mean better patient care and outcomes? Why am I skeptical? White House […]

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CVS’ Oak Street Health to pay $60M to settle Medicare Advantage kickback allegations https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/disruptors/cvs-oak-street-health-to-pay-60m-to-settle-medicare-advantage-kickback-allegations.html CVS subsidiary Oak Street Health has agreed to pay $60 million to settle accusations that it violated the False Claims Act by offering kickbacks to third-party insurance agents in return for referring older adults to its primary care clinics. The U.S. […]

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Texas system shutters Medicare Advantage plan https://www.beckerspayer.com/payer/texas-system-shutters-medicare-advantage-plan.html Southwestern Health Resources will not offer Medicare Advantage plans in 2025, D Magazine reported Sept. 17.  In emails obtained by D Magazine, the company said it decided to sunset its Medicare Advantage plan because of increasing competition and utilization, and regulatory requirements.  “Medicare Advantage plans continue to face […]

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2275 pharmacies have closed so far in 2024 https://benjaminjolley.substack.com/p/2275-pharmacies-have-closed-so-far “It’s not the way I wanted it to go,” he says sadly. “You do what you’re supposed to do. You go to college, get a doctorate, start a small business in a small town, support the community and it’s not even close to being a viable […]

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Walgreens paying $106.8 million to settle US prescription billing fraud charges https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/walgreens-paying-1068-million-settle-us-charges-over-prescription-billing-fraud-2024-09-13/ Sept 13 (Reuters) – Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA.O) , opens new tab agreed to pay $106.8 million to settle charges it fraudulently billed the U.S. government for prescriptions that were never dispensed, the Department of Justice said on Friday. The Justice Department said […]

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Pain med prescriptions did not cause opioid epidemic, courts rule

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PBM reform: The end of the beginning https://chaindrugreview.com/pbm-reform-the-end-of-the-beginning/ The recent release of an interim report by the Federal Trade Commission about what the agency characterizes as “prescription drug middlemen” represents a vindication of sorts for pharmacy advocates who have long contended that PBMs employ business practices that skew the market to their advantage. Following the […]

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