Content about Federal assistance in the United States

February 22, 2013

The YMCA is offering a demonstration project to show that its YMCA Diabetes Prevention Program — part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's broader National Diabetes Prevention Program — can lower the incidence of Type 2 diabetes and reduce medical costs incurred by Medicare. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation is funding the project, whereby YMCAs in 17 communities that deliver the program will offer it at no cost to 10,000 Medicare enrollees over the next three years, and the YMCA expects it to save Medicare $4.2 million over three years and $53 million over six years.

It's been said that, "It takes a village to raise a child," and because chronic disease is an issue that affects communities as a whole - not just individuals - it would make sense for community-based organizations to target a growing national health crisis like the diabetes epidemic.

February 22, 2013

Overall Medicare prescription drug costs will go down in 2014, but the so-called "doughnut hole" coverage gap will get bigger, according to published reports.

February 19, 2013

The YMCA is sponsoring a diabetes-control program that some say could slow the disease's spread, according to published reports.

February 8, 2013

President Obama has re-nominated Marilyn Tavenner as administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, according to published reports.

February 7, 2013

National Association of Chain Drug Stores president and CEO Steve Anderson, calls a new study by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services “further proof of community pharmacy’s ability to improve patients’ lives while making healthcare more affordable in this country.”

January 31, 2013

A new health initiative will address cardiovascular disease among African-Americans living in three counties in Alabama where the problem is considered significant.

January 18, 2013

CVS Caremark has announced that it is working to resolve service issues related to its SilverScript Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plan.

January 14, 2013

The Department of Health and Human Services is proposing a new rule that it said would promote consistent policies and processes for eligibility notices in Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program and the health insurance exchanges mandated under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

January 9, 2013

Ten issues will take center stage as the healthcare industry moves to meet the requirements of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, according to a new report by PricewaterhouseCoopers.

January 2, 2013

While the "fiscal cliff" bill heads off the most severe tax implications for most Americans, the 25.8 million Americans with diabetes may find this bill a bitter pill to swallow, suggested the National Community Pharmacists Association in a press release.

January 2, 2013

Wall Street on Wednesday celebrated the "fiscal cliff" compromise as stocks across the board were trading up by some 200 basis points. As of noon, the Dow was up 1.7% and Nasdaq 2.3%.

December 19, 2012

The changing healthcare environment and the challenges and opportunities of specialty pharmacy were the biggest themes at Acro Pharmaceutical Services' sixth annual Payer and Managed Care Symposium in Philadelphia last Thursday.

November 30, 2012

Increasing the prescriptions filled by Medicare beneficiaries by 1% would reduce the program's spending on medical services by about 0.2% by reducing costs in such areas as hospitalizations, according to a new report by the Congressional Budget Office.

November 21, 2012

Each year, we say goodbye to the current year and welcome in the New Year full of hope and aspirations for a successful year ahead. Customers turn out in droves for “New Year, New You” specials and when they reach the register, the retail pharmacy world knows the scenario quite well.

November 7, 2012

The National Community Pharmacists Association on Wednesday commended seven U.S. Representatives for recently writing the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to urge the agency to allow independent community pharmacists to continue same-day home delivery of diabetes test supplies to certain Medicare beneficiaries.

November 7, 2012

A new Walgreens study examining the impact of 90-day medication refills at community pharmacies compared to 30-day refills for Medicaid patients found that across four therapeutic categories, patients with 90-day refills had greater medication adherence and greater persistency, nominal wastage and more cost savings.

October 16, 2012

CVS Caremark has announced that it has reached a civil settlement with the United States Department of Justice regarding its investigation into certain business practices of a subsidiary of Longs Drug Stores, which began prior to the acquisition of Longs by CVS Caremark in October 2008.

October 15, 2012

With the start of Annual Enrollment Period on Monday for Medicare Part D prescription drug plans, CVS/pharmacy has announced that it is ready to help pharmacy patients who are enrolling in Medicare Part D for the first time or want to make a change to their current coverage plan.

October 15, 2012

Walmart and Humana have teamed up again to help Medicare beneficiaries afford their prescriptions. With annual enrollment open until Dec. 7, 2012, for 2013 Medicare plans, the Humana-Walmart Preferred Rx Plan announced that it offers one monthly plan premium of $18.50 a month for beneficiaries in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., regardless of where they live.

October 15, 2012

Rite Aid is making its pharmacists available free of charge to seniors and their caregivers for personalized Medicare Part D consultations.

October 15, 2012

Walgreens will be offering free, personalized Part D plan comparison reports to help beneficiaries identify the plan that best meets their prescription drug needs, the retail pharmacy operator announced Monday.

October 11, 2012

Thirteen million more Americans had health insurance in June 2012 than 18 months earlier, according to a new report by BusinessOne Technologies, a healthcare technology and data company.

October 9, 2012

Remember back in 2009, when some on Wall Street swore the sky was falling as Caremark came off a tricky selling season? Oh, how times have changed.


October 8, 2012

A pharmacy school in Alabama is getting a grant for a program designed to reduce hospitalizations among nursing home residents.

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