McDonald Hopkins Applauds Bipartisan Effort to Halt Proposed Regulation that will Hurt Pharmacies and Physicians

New policy would terminate longstanding Medicare Part B reimbursement to pharmacies

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Oct 06, 2011, 03:50 ET

CHICAGO, Oct. 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- McDonald Hopkins law firm, on behalf of its clients, has been involved in a major effort to persuade the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to rescind Change Request 7397 (CR), which was introduced on May 13, 2011 by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Yesterday, three Mississippi lawmakers—U.S. Senators Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker, and Congressman Gregg Harper-- issued a news release urging CMS to rescind the CR. Click here to read news release issued by Cochran, Wicker, and Harper.

"We are pleased that these lawmakers are renewing their call to cancel the CR," said Ned Milenkovich, a Member at McDonald Hopkins and chair of the firm's Drug and Pharmacy Practice. "They are among many patient advocacy groups, physicians, pharmacists, and pharmacy associations that have also called for CMS to withdraw the CR. The CR is incongruous with current federal laws and regulations promulgated by the FDA and DEA concerning pharmacy practice."

Milenkovich, who is both a pharmacist and attorney, urged the CMS "to permanently rescind the CR, or at a minimum, modify it to include the right of a pharmacy to directly bill Medicare for the complex preparation of a much needed pain medication for a segment of the population that is in desperate need of this therapy. A pharmacy should properly retain the right to bill Medicare directly."

About McDonald Hopkins

McDonald Hopkins is a business advisory and advocacy law firm with an 80-year history. The firm is focused on business law, litigation, business restructuring and bankruptcy, intellectual property, healthcare, and estate planning. McDonald Hopkins has offices in Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Detroit, Miami and West Palm Beach. The president of McDonald Hopkins is Carl J. Grassi. For more information about McDonald Hopkins, visit www.mcdonaldhopkins.com.

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Ned Milenkovich | https://profnet.prnewswire.com/Subscriber/ExpertProfile.aspx?ei=89284

CONTACT:
Deborah W. Kelm
McDonald Hopkins LLC
600 Superior Avenue, East, Suite 2100
Cleveland, Ohio 44114
Phone: 216.348.5733
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE McDonald Hopkins