ALEXANDRIA, Va., May 24, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The National Community Pharmacists
Association (NCPA) endorsed legislation introduced by U.S.
Representatives Aaron Schock (R-Ill.) and Peter
Welch (D-Vt.) that would allow seniors to continue receiving
essential diabetes testing supplies, and expert counseling on their
proper use, from independent community pharmacies.

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“We commend Reps. Schock and Welch for introducing this vital
legislation,” said NCPA Executive Vice President and CEO B. Douglas
Hoey, RPh, MBA. “This bipartisan bill would help ensure that
seniors can continue to rely on their independent community
pharmacy for these essential diabetes supplies and the expert
counseling needed to effectively manage their condition.”

The Medicare Access to Diabetes Supplies Act (H.R.
1936) permanently exempts diabetes testing supplies furnished
by small community pharmacies from the Centers for Medicare and
Medicaid Services’ (CMS) competitive bidding program and pricing
for Medicare Part B DMEPOS (durable medical equipment, prosthetics,
orthotics and supplies).  The bill also permits small,
community pharmacies to continue providing home delivery of these
products without them being subject to the future national mail
order competitive bidding program.

CMS has indicated that it will likely include retail diabetic
supplies in future rounds of DMEPOS competitive bidding. The
exemption in H.R. 1936 covers diabetes test strips,
monitors, lancets, glucose control solutions and applies to
community pharmacies with 10 or fewer locations.

Without enactment of this legislation, or a comparable
exemption, seniors would suffer diminished access as small
pharmac

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