ALEXANDRIA, Va., Sept. 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The
National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) expressed strong
support for an investigation
into CVS Caremark launched by the U.S. Senate Special
Committee on Aging reported earlier today on the blog
Pharmalot.
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In response, NCPA President Joseph H. Harmison, PD and
Arlington, Texas pharmacy owner, issued the following
statement:
“Complaints continue to increase from patients and community
pharmacists alleging CVS Caremark of engaging in anti-consumer,
anti-competitive behavior. We commend Chairman Herb Kohl (D-Wisc.)
for doing the right thing on behalf of patients and pharmacists in
Wisconsin and across the nation. Seniors are both the most in
need of pharmacy services and the patients arguably most vulnerable
to the misleading and deceptive tactics of which CVS Caremark is
accused.
“CVS Caremark’s strong-armed efforts to gain market share appear
to be compromising patient care while inflating costs for seniors,
the Medicare program and taxpayers. For example, retirees Max and
Jan Hauser discovered that, under their Medicare drug plan
administered by CVS Caremark, the cholesterol drug Simvastatin that
cost them nothing at a local independent pharmacy cost them $165.99
at CVS for a three-month supply. As reported by
WCNC-TV they were also charged more by CVS for ulcer drugs and
blood
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