NCPA releases reports reflecting on COVID-19, advocacy efforts in 2020

The National Community Pharmacists Association has released a 2020 COVID-19 special report detailing the organization’s extensive work over the last year to help independent pharmacists fight the coronavirus pandemic and adjust to the changes the public health emergency had on their small businesses.

NCPA also released its 2020 NCPA Advocacy Annual Report, a comprehensive review of its broader advocacy efforts on behalf of America’s independent community pharmacists, including work to change the pharmacy payment model and rein in pharmacy benefit managers through the Rutledge v. PCMA Supreme Court case and other pathways.

“NCPA’s core mission is to defend and support independent neighborhood pharmacies, whether during a pandemic or in calmer times,” said NCPA CEO Doug Hoey. “2020 was a year of incredible change and with that change came incredible opportunity for our organization and for pharmacy. NCPA has been working with policymakers since the beginning to include independent pharmacies as part of a robust and successful national response to COVID-19, and to keep members informed about the latest news and what to do to administer tests and vaccines.”

Hoey continued, “Knowing that community pharmacies were rising to the occasion and confronting challenges head-on, so too did NCPA. We advocated to federal and state policymakers for small business pharmacy COVID-19 relief, built support for legal cases seeking to regulate pharmacy benefit managers, and communicated what independent pharmacies need, are doing, and can do to support their patients through the pandemic and with other health needs. We are building on this work in 2021 and into the future, as we keep defending independent neighborhood pharmacies against unwise and unnecessary policies and promoting pharmacists’ ability to provide care and be paid for patient services.”

Click here for the 2020 NCPA COVID-19 Report.

Click here for the 2020 NCPA Advocacy Annual Report.