Amid debt ceiling talks, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores has sent a letter to President Barack Obama and to the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate leadership outlining key areas to help ensure continued patient access to pharmacy services through such federally funded programs as Medicare, Medicaid and TRICARE, the association announced on Wednesday.

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores has submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services regarding a proposed rule that would help to determine Medicaid beneficiary access to pharmacies and other healthcare providers.

There are better ways to reduce expenses for Tricare beneficiaries than to restrict access to community pharmacy. What's more, Congress should adopt alternative cost-saving strategies, including utilizing local pharmacists. That was a key message in an op-ed co-authored by the National Association of Chain Drug Stores and the National Community Pharmacists Association and published June 13 in The Hill's Congress Blog.

The House of Representatives last week passed the FY2012 Defense Authorization bill by a vote of 322 to 96. The bill includes a small increase in the Tricare Prime fee, the American Society of Military Comptrollers noted in a statement, but caps future increases at no more than the cost-of-living adjustment.

Reps. Aaron Schock, R-Ill., and Peter Welch, D-Vt., on Monday introduced legislation that would exempt community pharmacies with less than 10 locations from having to participate in Medicare competitive acquisition programs and pricing when it comes to the sale of blood-glucose meters and supplies.

A new congressional caucus will look for ways to educate the public and members of Congress on how to reduce the country’s healthcare costs with affordable medicines.

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores and the National Community Pharmacists Association announced on Friday that they have issued a letter to Rep. Walter B. Jones, R-N.C., expressing pharmacy's support for H.R. 1092, the Military Retirees Health Care Protection Act, which would help preserve Tricare beneficiaries' access to pharmacy-based healthcare services.

CVS Caremark announced on Friday that it has agreed to pay $17.5 million, to be allocated among the federal government and 10 participating states, to resolve a civil complaint concerning how its CVS/pharmacy retail pharmacies submitted reimbursement claims in certain states for prescriptions filled for "dual eligible" patients who have coverage under both Medicaid and a third-party insurance plan.

The National Community Pharmacists Association on Wednesday announced support for the Quality Health Care Coalition Act of 2011 (H.R. 1409), which was introduced last week by House Judiciary Committee ranking member Rep. John Conyers Jr., D-Mich., and Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, in an effort to improve the quality of patient care by leveling the playing field between healthcare professionals and insurance companies in the healthcare industry.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced this week it would delay implementation of its proposed Medicare Part D long-term care “short-cycle” rule for one year.

The American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research on Monday published a working paper that identified $329 million in overspending as a result of underutilization of generics.

Ten states could reap significant savings by increasing the use of generic drugs in their state Medicaid programs, the Generic Pharmaceutical Association said Monday in response to a report by the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank.