March 11, 201

MAC Pricing Bill Passes House Committee

On Tuesday March 10, 2015, House bill 555 (Regulation of MAC pricing) sponsored by Representative Gaetz and cosponsored by Rep. Drake was found favorable in the Health Innovation Subcommittee. The bill (as amended) passed with two opposing votes. Several independent pharmacy providers and representatives spoke during the hearing, sharing their stories about how current pharmacy benefit managers' (PBMs) maximum allowable cost (MAC) pricing negatively impacts pharmacy businesses. The Senate version of this bill (SB 860) has been referred to the Committee on Banking and Insurance, while the next stop for the House version (HB 555) will be the House Insurance and Banking Subcommittee. As of now, a committee hearing date has not been scheduled for either of these bills.

The original version of HB555 required PBMs to ensure that prescription drugs meet certain stipulations to be placed on MAC pricing lists. It also required PBMs to disclose certain information about how they set up their MAC pricing to allow for transparency. PBMs would have been required to use drugs that are available for purchase in the state when setting the MAC price reimbursements. Lastly, it would have allowed pharmacies to file an appeal against the PBMs if they were unable to attain the drug at the indicated MAC cost. FPA currently supports both the House and Senate versions of this bill.

We ask you to reach out to members of both committees below and ask for their support for these bills to ensure fair compensation for pharmacies as we strive to achieve optimum patient care.

Pharmacist Immunization Bills Pass First House and Senate Committees

On Tuesday March 10, 2015, HB 279 and SB 792 on Pharmacist Immunization Services were heard in the House Health Innovation Subcommittee and the Senate Committee on Health Policy respectively. Student pharmacists and pharmacists showed their support by creating a large white coat presence in both hearings. In the House Health Innovation Subcommittee hearing, HB 279 passed by a vote of 11 to 1 with the amendments that the new CDC vaccination 2015 guidelines must be followed, and that interns must be under the direct supervision of a licensed pharmacist when administering a vaccine. In the Senate Committee on Health Policy, SB 792 passed unanimously with the amendment that interns must be under the direct supervision of a licensed pharmacist when administering a vaccine. A second amendment was that the ratio of pharmacists to interns must be 1 to 1 with respect to vaccine administration. The Florida Pharmacy Association fully supports these bills as amended. The next stop for HB 279 is the House Health and Human Services Committee. The next stop for SB 792 will be the Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services. As of now a committee hearing date has not been scheduled for either of these bills.

Contact the members of the House Health and Human Services Committee to urge them to support HB 279 to expand patient access to immunizations!  TALKING POINTS

Contact the members of the Senate Health Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services to urge them to support SB 792 to expand patient access to immunizations!
TALKING POINTS

Winner 2015 FPA Student Leadership Scholarship

Matthew Schneller (photo with FPA Chairman of the Board Terry Gubbins) receives the 2015 FPA Student Leadership Scholarship. This prestigious award recognizes Matt’s volunteer work with FPA, involvement in school and community activities and his demonstrated sense of passion to the profession.

Matthew is a third year student pharmacist at the University of South Florida. Raised in Wisconsin, he moved to Tampa to attend pharmacy school and to live in a large city with an underserved population in health care. He regularly volunteers his time at Bridge, which is a free clinic, educating and counseling patients on drug related issues.  Matt plans to combine his passions for pharmacy and politics in the future and hopes to become a lobbyist where he can advocate for quality healthcare.

University of Florida Pharmacy Students Win FPPC Challenge

For the second year, students from our state’s pharmacy schools have been proactive in supporting the work of our political committee.  The Florida Pharmacist Political Committee Board of Directors include Mark Hobbs as Chair, Theresa Tolle as Treasurer, Kim Jones as Vice Chair, with board members Thomas Cuomo, Humberto Martinez, Preston McDonald, Ken Wisniewski, and student member Ashley Huff.  Last fall each campus was challenged to help raise funds to build the FPA political committee war chest.  Participating schools include PBA (2nd place), FAMU (3^rd place), LECOM (4^th place) and USF (5^th place).  This year’s winner are the student advocates from the University of Florida College of Pharmacy.  Congratulations UF.

Student Florida Pharmacist Political Committee Challenge
Jason Hoffmann UF FPPC Challenge Winner	Chip Wight PBA	Ogenna Omenugha FAMU
	Presentations by Ashley Huff FPPC Student Board Member
Kaylee Toole LECOM		Jerica Singleton USF

Volunteer Pharmacists and Pharmacy Students Visit Florida Capitol

Over 400 pharmacy students and pharmacists from all over Florida visited the Capitol to participate in a health fair event and legislative day rally.  Activities included visits into the House chamber, the old Capitol museum as well as attending hearings on 3 pharmacy bills scheduled on Tuesday.  A briefing session took place on the campus of Florida A&M University where participants were welcomed by Dr. Thomas Fitzgerald, Professor and Interim Associate Dean for Academic Affairs for the College of Pharmacy.  The FPA extends sincere thanks to the administration, faculty, and staff of FAMU for hosting both the Pizza and Policy gathering and the legislative briefing sessions.

Provider Status Cosponsors Growing

H.R. 592 titled the Pharmacy and Medically Underserved Areas Enhancement Act was filed to recognize pharmacists as health care providers.  This legislation filed in Congress has picked up 68 cosponsors in the Congressional House of Representatives.  Illinois has 8 cosponsors, followed by California with 7, Georgia and Ohio with 5, followed by Florida and Minnesota with 4 each.  Florida’s cosponsors include Representative Alcee Hastings, Representative David W. Jolly, Representative Dennis Ross, and Representative Patrick Murphy.  The Senate version has 8 cosponsors but neither Senator Nelson nor Senator Rubio has signed on yet.  Members are regularly reaching out to Congress asking for their support for this important legislation.  If you have not sent in your message to your Congressman please do so now.  If you have sent your message we recommend that you call your Congressman’s office and discuss this issue with either your Representative or their health care aid.