ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Shortly after Health and Human Services secretary Kathleen Sebelius reached out to state governors about extending their Medicaid programs, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores sent a letter to Sebelius emphasizing the importance of expanding patient access to prescription drugs and pharmacy services to cut healthcare costs and improve patient outcomes.

“We have spoken with many governors and state Medicaid directors, and [we] share their concerns about the current economic climate and the pressure that the Medicaid program places on state budgets," the NACDS letter stated. "We have worked with states to put cost-effective best practices in place to control prescription drug costs, such as increasing generic utilization, expanding the use of e-prescribing and other technologies, and improving medication adherence as a means to reduce more costly medical interventions, such as doctor visits and hospital stays.”

Click here to view the full letter.