PCMA Statement on Medicare Part D Rule

WASHINGTON, May 20, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) President and CEO Mark Merritt issued the following statement on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS) final Medicare Part D rule:

"We're encouraged that the final Medicare Part D rule appears to follow through on CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner's commitment to table most of the proposals for 2015, which raised serious concerns among patient groups and Congressional leaders.

"While we're concerned about provisions on Maximum Allowable Cost (MAC) and some other specific issues related to 2016, we believe Ms. Tavenner showed real leadership by confronting the big challenge at the heart of this controversy: a policy dispute between those in Congress and the Administration who make Medicare Part D policy and the regulators who implement it.

"While bridging that divide may pose ongoing challenges, we look forward to working with Ms. Tavenner, the new members of her team, the incoming Secretary, Congressional leaders and other stakeholders to ensure that Medicare Part D remains affordable and successful in the years to come."

PCMA represents the nation's pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), which improve affordability and quality of care through the use of electronic prescribing (e-prescribing), generic alternatives, mail-service pharmacies, and other innovative tools for 216 million Americans.

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SOURCE Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA)