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November 2012 - Northeast Pharmacy Service Corporation

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Network News<br />

WWW.NORTHEASTPHARMACY.COM<br />

NOVEMBER <strong>2012</strong><br />

SPECIAL POINTS OF<br />

INTEREST:<br />

∗<br />

Lexmark laser printers<br />

for sale (page 5)<br />

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:<br />

SXC dba Catamaran 3<br />

What I Learned From<br />

Walgreens<br />

4-5<br />

HIPAA Security Part II 6<br />

Alert Your New<br />

Vendors<br />

Medicare B Updates 8<br />

Medicare D Update 9<br />

Immunization Page 10<br />

NPSC Purchasing<br />

Program <strong>2012</strong><br />

2013 EXPO<br />

H D SMITH<br />

FLEX TRAX<br />

KINRAY<br />

INSERTS<br />

7<br />

11<br />

By: David Benoit<br />

Dinner Meeting Highlights<br />

A round of dinner meetings has<br />

pretty much become an annual event.<br />

We see so many owners at the EXPO<br />

and receive lots of valuable feedback<br />

about the challenges Participating Pharmacies<br />

are facing. About half way<br />

through the year, we sit down with network<br />

participants to get a fresh view of<br />

our world. The meetings are always informative<br />

and lively. This latest round of<br />

dinner meetings pushed the value of the<br />

meetings to a<br />

new level.<br />

We invited<br />

our wholesaler<br />

vendors<br />

to join us and<br />

were rewarded<br />

by<br />

valuable input<br />

from them.<br />

We<br />

started to build the agenda with the topics<br />

that we knew were on peoples’<br />

minds. Then as the discussions expanded,<br />

we added new topics. We<br />

never knew exactly what we would be<br />

talking about; the meetings are dynamic<br />

and in this case exciting. Since many of<br />

you were unable to attend these meetings,<br />

I’ll provide a synopsis of some of<br />

the more interesting and unusual topics.<br />

340b programs have changed.<br />

Qualified health centers can have more<br />

than one contracted pharmacy. Since<br />

that change was made, a number of companies<br />

have emerged that administer the<br />

340b program on behalf of the health<br />

center and networks of pharmacies.<br />

Such programs are being run locally in<br />

the cities of Waterbury, CT and Boston,<br />

MA. About ten NPSC Participating<br />

Pharmacies have enrolled in these programs.<br />

Only time will tell how well the<br />

expansion of 340b works for the clinic,<br />

the administrator, and the pharmacies.<br />

This arrangement allows us to compete<br />

with Walgreens who offers 340b administration<br />

and contracts to these health<br />

clinics.<br />

CMS is asking pharmacies to voluntarily<br />

report their<br />

acquisition costs for<br />

generics so that they<br />

may calculate the National<br />

Average<br />

Drug Acquisition<br />

Cost (NADAC).<br />

As you recall, pharmacy<br />

has beaten back<br />

Average Manufacturer’s<br />

Price (AMP).<br />

This is the next round in CMS’ struggle<br />

to reimburse generics at acquisition<br />

cost. There was very strong opposition<br />

to providing this data voiced at our<br />

meetings. Implementation of NADAC<br />

would require the states to raise dispensing<br />

fees to a level that reflects the<br />

cost of filling prescriptions.<br />

We talked about the New England<br />

Compounding Center’s expanding<br />

disaster. On the local front, a second<br />

sterile compounder, Infusion Resource<br />

was inspected by the Mass Board of<br />

<strong>Pharmacy</strong>. The inspectors expressed<br />

concern for the sterility of products. In<br />

addition, patients were being administered<br />

intravenous medication on-site, an<br />

activity requiring a clinic license that the<br />

Continued on pg. 2


NEW NETWORK PARTICIPANTS<br />

Cornerstone <strong>Pharmacy</strong>, Stamford, CT<br />

Neighborhood Healthmart <strong>Pharmacy</strong>, Methuen, MA<br />

Salem Health Mart <strong>Pharmacy</strong>, Salem, CT<br />

Continued from page 1<br />

company did not have. The Board issued an immediate cease and desist and quarantine<br />

notice. Subsequently, the company voluntarily surrendered its pharmacy license.<br />

NCPA has reported that Congress is considering the options relating to pharmacy<br />

compounding. Both the House and Senate Committees which have jurisdiction over this<br />

matter are currently conducting investigations. NCPA believes that it is likely that both<br />

will hold a hearing to further examine the tragic outbreak during the “lame-duck” session<br />

after the election. Congress is also interested in hearing pharmacy groups’ views on<br />

whether the FDA needs more authority to regulate compounding,<br />

and potential legislative options to address the current situation.<br />

States are also looking at possible actions, such as tightening up rules<br />

relating to pharmacy compounding and increasing inspections.<br />

What is happening in your state? Keep your eyes and ears<br />

open. The disaster keeps getting worse.<br />

Medicare began a program in October that penalizes<br />

hospitals for high re-admission rates. Poorly performing hospitals<br />

can lose 1% of their payments this year and 2% next year. This initiative<br />

focuses on congestive heart failure (CHF), acute myocardial infarction<br />

(AMI), and pneumonia (pneumonia). In most quarters, patient<br />

compliance with discharge orders and medications are seen as<br />

the weak links to be mended. Some larger hospitals actually will use their outpatient<br />

pharmacies to become more involved with managing and monitoring these patients.<br />

There is even some federal grant money around. But smaller community hospitals will<br />

not have access to the kind of pharmacy resources they need. This means that you<br />

might have the opportunity to become a critical partner with your local hospital pharmacy<br />

Director. Find the name of that person and talk to them.<br />

If you don’t think this is a viable business, consider this: Walgreens has undertaken<br />

this initiative with about a dozen hospitals. It is called Well Transitions.<br />

Fax requests for continuation of therapy on controlled substances Class<br />

III–V. We try to make it crystal clear: PHARMACIES MAY NOT SEND A FAX RE-<br />

QUEST THAT FILLS IN THE PRESCRIPTION AND NEEDS ONLY THE PHYSICIAN<br />

SIGNATURE. Most software systems have already made the necessary changes or will<br />

Continued on page 3<br />

2<br />

NETWORK NEWS - NOVEMBER <strong>2012</strong>


Continued from page 2<br />

make them soon. The chains are all sending the same message to the doctors’ offices that we are.<br />

We have found that there are a significant number of pharmacies<br />

using CSOS where only the subscriber (usually the<br />

owner) is authorized to order online. We found a significant number<br />

that had filled out power of attorneys and had them on file in the<br />

store; authorized employees were using the subscriber’s key. Only a few<br />

stores had done it correctly. They filled out the Power(s) of Attorney,<br />

and submitted it with all required documentation to the DEA for approval.<br />

Each authorized person was provided their own “key” to order<br />

on the CSOS system. The wholesalers were the ones who pointed out<br />

that there were inspections by the DEA and fines being issued in New<br />

York State. DEA inspections will be coming to New England. Violations<br />

can cost $10,000 per line. This can be fixed pretty simply. You will find<br />

that your wholesaler that set you up on CSOS will be well experienced in<br />

expanding the number of authorized users. They’ll be happy to help.<br />

The chains have been pre-filling prescription refills. We have heard that nearly every chain<br />

pharmacist is under enormous pressure to pre-fill maintenance meds and then call the patient to tell<br />

them it is ready. It would be one thing if the patient had opted into this kind of adherence program.<br />

But it is a starkly different matter when the patient has not initiated the refill in a federally funded program.<br />

We have read that the Justice Department, the Department of Health and Human <strong>Service</strong>s, and<br />

the states of New Jersey and California are investigating claims that CVS/Caremark filled and billed<br />

without the approval or knowledge of the patient. Since this was first published in the Los Angeles<br />

Times, the newspaper subsequently reported that Target, Rite Aid, and Walgreens are also doing this.<br />

They are all denying this practice and any pressure or quotas on their pharmacy personnel. There is<br />

the potential for this to be really painful.<br />

Of course, there is much more that was discussed at the dinner meetings. We hope that you will<br />

be able to attend future meetings.<br />

SXC dba Catamaran<br />

By David Benoit<br />

Catamaran was formerly known as SXC. SXC sometimes referred to itself as Informed Rx. In the<br />

last year or more leading up to the name change, SXC took over NMHCRx, MedMetrics, Innoviant,<br />

and Catalyst, which had just bought Walgreen Health Initiatives. The name change might help employees<br />

to have a common name for their employer. But the amalgam of companies is not an organized,<br />

efficient model of scale; it is a disorganized, dysfunctional collection of parts that have been aimlessly<br />

cobbled together. There does not even appear to be a central command. That opinion might sound<br />

harsh but it is honest.<br />

In mid-July, Catamaran turned on a mandatory 90-day fill for maintenance medications for the Mass<br />

Neighborhood Health Plan, initially operated by MedMetrics. At the same time, it appears that Catamaran<br />

implemented a MAC list that goes well below anything we have ever seen. Hundreds of pricing<br />

appeals were sent to challenge below cost reimbursements. So far, only one owner has told me that a<br />

price actually was adjusted. That’s not really a cause for celebration because the adjustment only ameliorated<br />

the problem. Instead of losing $20 on a 90-day supply, the store only loses $13 now. For the<br />

rest of the appeals, owners are still waiting to get a response or have been told that the MAC will not<br />

be changed.<br />

It gives us no solace to learn that Neighborhood Health Plan had a record setting year financially.<br />

Now with that as background, think what Rhode Island pharmacists can look forward to. BCBS-RI is<br />

finally getting rid of CVS/Caremark. That must be proof that there is a higher power looking after us.<br />

Or is it? The new PBM for BCBS-RI is Catamaran! I hope I’m wrong.<br />

NETWORK NEWS - NOVEMBER <strong>2012</strong> 3


What I Learned From Walgreens<br />

Scott Campbell<br />

Last winter I noticed a Walgreen’s<br />

commercial asking people to get 90 days<br />

supplies of their medications whenever<br />

possible. I was puzzled. This is a company<br />

with pharmacies that are over 10,000<br />

square feet of non-prescription store space.<br />

They sell things like makeup, toys, school<br />

supplies, food, health and beauty aids.<br />

Doesn’t their business model require customers<br />

to enter the store, and purchase<br />

non-prescription merchandise with their<br />

prescriptions, the more times the better?<br />

Isn’t the pharmacy both a draw for customers<br />

and a profit center? According to the<br />

Walgreens annual<br />

report, 35% of their<br />

sales are nonpharmacy<br />

or front<br />

store items. CVS has<br />

similar numbers. If<br />

people are getting 90<br />

days supplies of their<br />

maintenance medications<br />

that’s only 1<br />

trip every 3 months<br />

instead of 3 trips<br />

every 3 months. Doesn’t this go against<br />

their business model? I knew there was<br />

reason Walgreens was pushing the maintenance<br />

quantities; I just wasn’t sure what it<br />

was. I mentioned this to the student<br />

NCPA chapter at URI when one of the students<br />

responded that his job the summer<br />

before was to call physicians and get approval<br />

for 90 days supplies for maintenance<br />

medications. So now I was sure. There<br />

must be a strong financial reason to dispense<br />

90 days, and my next task was to find<br />

out what it was.<br />

First, I examined the prescription filling<br />

process and tried to put a dollar amount to<br />

each step in the process. The prescription<br />

processor, the counting technician (we do<br />

not have automation), the pharmacist<br />

checking, and the cashier’s time ringing the<br />

customer out. Then, I compared the relative<br />

costs of doing all of the functions three<br />

times if you fill a prescription once a month<br />

for three months, verses once every three<br />

months. As you might imagine almost all of<br />

the costs of doing the same job three times<br />

will be three times higher. The most expensive<br />

of which is having your pharmacist check the<br />

same prescription three times. What surprised<br />

me the most was the time and expense<br />

at the cash register. It takes about 2 minutes<br />

to have people sign request or decline pharmacist<br />

counseling, request or not child proof<br />

prescriptions bottles, and then of course sign<br />

that they received the prescription. But wait;<br />

there is one last final<br />

cost, PLASTIC! Do<br />

you know how high<br />

those fees are? Our<br />

average fee when<br />

plastic is involved is<br />

$0.75. Use plastic<br />

three times and that<br />

will take a bite out of<br />

profit. How much<br />

plastic do you take in<br />

these days? Do you<br />

anticipate plastic use will decrease in the future<br />

or increase? Now that’s just the cost of<br />

dispensing a prescription. What about retail<br />

pricing for 30 verses 90 days’ supply?<br />

The other day one of the technicians filled<br />

a simvastatin 10mg prescription for #30 tablets<br />

and we got paid $5.17 and our COGS (cost of<br />

goods sold) was $0.90. I noticed the physician<br />

had ordered #90 tablets. I asked the technician<br />

to reverse the claim and resubmit it for<br />

#90 tablets. We received $12.57 for #90 tablets<br />

and our COGS was $2.70. In this one example<br />

I was able to increase my profit from<br />

$4.27 to $9.87 considering the selling price<br />

alone. According to the <strong>2012</strong> NCPA digest<br />

the national average cost of dispensing a prescription<br />

is $12.19, the average cost to dispense<br />

in the <strong>Northeast</strong> region is $15.03. Figure<br />

in your net costs of filling that one $4.27<br />

three times. Assuming the NCPA average<br />

4<br />

NETWORK NEWS - NOVEMBER <strong>2012</strong>


$12.19 cost to dispense a prescription is correct, we lose money<br />

both times, but we lose much less filling the prescription once for<br />

a 90 days supply.<br />

Yesterday an old customer came into the store and we were<br />

talking. Both he (asthma) and his wife (diabetes) had been forced<br />

to mandatory mail order a few years ago. His insurance had<br />

changed and he was going to Walgreens because they could do<br />

90 days supply. I said “I can do that too”! So he transferred his<br />

Advair 250/50 90 days supply. The profit for 3 months was<br />

$17.00. Now $17.00 profit on 3 boxes of Advair is a terrible gross margin of around 2.5%. If I had<br />

given him one 30 day supply my profit would have been $8.00 on one Advair 250 which would give a<br />

gross margin of around 3.5% not much better, but my net profit would have been much less. I know a<br />

2.5% gross margin is very low, but a $17.00 profit is better than an $8.00 profit. And we still pay our<br />

invoices in dollars not gross margin percents.<br />

How about our customers? I really think most would rather make one trip to the pharmacy every<br />

three months, especially with many of the low co-pays on generic medications. How many customers<br />

are not coming to me because I haven’t been filling 90 days supplies? How can I get the word out to<br />

welcome people back? Aren’t we in the customer service business? If the customers want larger quantities<br />

and fewer trips to the pharmacy, than that is what we should give them.<br />

The NCPA average cost to dispense for 2011 was $12.19. I like to use $10.00 as my break even<br />

line. If I can make more than $10, I win, if not try again. When you are filling 30 days supplies of generic<br />

maintenance medications how often do you make a gross profit of $10.00? Think of all the different<br />

medications; amlodipine, atenolol, citalopram, furosemide, metoprolol, simvastatin, lisinopril ,<br />

ramipril, quinapril, levothyroxine, fluoxetine, hctz, metformin, glyburide, losartan to name just a few<br />

that we are lucky to get reimbursed $5.00 for a 30 days supply. Do you think the list will be larger or<br />

smaller in 2013, 2014, and beyond. When I run my daily audit checking for co-pay offset cards, and<br />

checking for odd sizes or quantities to prevent insurance audits, I now add profitability to the mix. If I<br />

am not making $10.00 profit on a prescription I will investigate to see what I can do to increase my<br />

profits. Remember, with your staff it’s not their money, it’s not as important to them as it is to you. If<br />

you don’t do it, who will?<br />

One thing to do is make sure you can fill 90 day (extended day) supplies. There are some plans<br />

that allow you to fill 90 day without a separate contract, and other plans that require a separate contract.<br />

Call your PSO to find out if you can fill extended days for all contract.<br />

There are many lessons we can learn from the chains. This is one I latched onto. Does anyone<br />

else have an example of a chain program that we could all become more profitable doing? Please share<br />

so we can all learn from each other.<br />

United we stand, divided we fall.<br />

Scott Campbell is the owner of Ocean <strong>Pharmacy</strong> in Charlestown, RI. He is also a member of the NPSC Board of<br />

Directors. Connect with him on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ocean-Health-Mart-<strong>Pharmacy</strong>-<br />

Charlestown/10150101968710436<br />

CLASSIFIED: Attention QS‐1 users. We have 4 used Lexmark laser printers<br />

for sale, one T‐630, two T‐640 with extra draw, one T‐642 with extra draw,<br />

all in perfect working order. All have nearly full high yield toner cartridges<br />

as well. No reasonable offer refused. Contact John or Steve at Johnson<br />

Compounding and Wellness Center 781‐893‐3870.<br />

NETWORK NEWS - NOVEMBER <strong>2012</strong> 5


HIPAA SECURITY: A FOUR-PART SERIES<br />

By Karen Hekeler<br />

In the September issue of the Network News, we brought you through the first three<br />

steps of the HIPAA Security rule. Hopefully, you have set aside some time to complete<br />

those three steps. We will now continue with Step 4.<br />

Part II of IV<br />

HIPAA SECURITY<br />

Step 4:<br />

Step 5:<br />

Step 6:<br />

Step 7:<br />

In Tab 4 of the HIPAA Security binder, you will find a document titled<br />

“Risk Management Chart for Protecting Patient Information in Electric<br />

Form Administration Safeguards.” Please go through the chart and enter<br />

the date you completed each action item.<br />

The Security Regulations require you to have a BUSINESS ASSOCIATE<br />

AGREEMENT (BAA) on file with any entity you share PHI with that is<br />

not in itself a covered entity. Examples of who needs to have BAA on<br />

file include: IVR companies, <strong>Pharmacy</strong> and/or DME software companies,<br />

DME billing companies and any facility you deliver to where you<br />

are not delivering directly to the patient. Tab 4 has a copy of the BAA.<br />

Please go through your files and ensure you have a signed BAA on file<br />

for any of the business partners you are sharing PHI with.<br />

Under Tab 5, we have provided you with Security Policy and Procedures<br />

for all Employees. Please take a few minutes to familiarize your<br />

self with this policy and have your staff do the same. We have also<br />

provided you with a sample employment application.<br />

In Tab 6, you will find Personnel Policies Employee Sanctions. The Se<br />

curity Rule requires that all covered entities have appropriate sanc<br />

tions in place for employees who fail to comply. Please review this<br />

policy with your staff.<br />

Part III of this series will be included in the January issue of the Network News. If at<br />

any time during this process you have questions, please feel free to contact the<br />

NPSC office or your pharmacy consultant.<br />

6<br />

NETWORK NEWS - NOVEMBER <strong>2012</strong>


Alert Your New Vendors!<br />

By Dianne Shaffer<br />

From front-store to pharmacy supply, NPSC has contracted with many different types of<br />

vendors to assist you with your pharmacy’s needs. Pharmacies that are in our Prime Vendor<br />

Program meaning their primary wholesaler is H.D. Smith, McKesson or Kinray, will see<br />

additional incentives paid to them when they use any of our authorized vendors. Pharmacies<br />

that use any other primary wholesaler and are on our fair share program will see incentive<br />

credit applied to their quarterly statement.<br />

Please remember that if you place an order with one of our contracted vendors and you<br />

haven’t purchased from them before, or in quite a long time, you must inform them that<br />

you are a part of the <strong>Northeast</strong> <strong>Pharmacy</strong> <strong>Service</strong> network. If they are not aware of your affiliation<br />

with NPSC, the data necessary to process your incentives may not be entered correctly. This<br />

can lead to incentives missing from your quarterly statement. Research and “detective work” will need<br />

to be done so that you may receive proper credit. We want the process to be a smooth one for our<br />

network stores, so please keep this in mind when ordering from any vendors.<br />

Are you working with a vendor that you think would be a terrific fit for NPSC? Let us know! We are<br />

always interested in new vendors that may be beneficial to our stores! If you have any questions about<br />

the vendor program, or would like to refer a vendor to the program, please feel free to contact your<br />

field consultant or contact the office at 800-532-3742.<br />

NETWORK NEWS - NOVEMBER <strong>2012</strong> 7


ABN - REMINDER<br />

Latest Advance Beneficiary<br />

Notice of Noncoverage (ABN) Dated 3/2011<br />

The ABN, Form CMS-R-131, is the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved<br />

standard notice. Failure to use this notice as mandated could result in the notice being<br />

invalidated and/or the supplier being held liable for the items or services in question.<br />

MEDICARE B<br />

On May 2011, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid <strong>Service</strong>s (CMS) released an updated<br />

version of the Advance Beneficiary Notice of Noncoverage (ABN) (form CMS-R-131),<br />

which replaced the 2008 version of this form. The 2011 version contains no substantive<br />

changes from the 2008 version of the notice and was approved by the Office of Management<br />

and Budget. Suppliers are reminded that effective January 1, <strong>2012</strong>, only the<br />

ABN dated 3/2011 should be used when executing an ABN. Any ABNs that are executed<br />

on or after January 1, <strong>2012</strong>, must be the latest version. The latest version is identified<br />

by the release date of 3/2011 printed in the lower left-hand corner. If an older version<br />

of the ABN is issued on or after January 1, <strong>2012</strong>, it will be considered invalid.<br />

If you need the ABN dated 3/2011, you can go to our website, log in and go to Accreditation/Medicare<br />

B. The ABN is located under Medicare Billing Requirements.<br />

TUESDAYS AT 10<br />

There will not be a Tuesday at Ten program scheduled for December, but Tuesdays<br />

at Ten will resume in January. In the meantime, did you know that past<br />

Tuesday at Ten presentations are on our website? Log in, click on the Accreditation/Med<br />

B tab, and then scroll down to Medicare Billing Requirements. The<br />

first item is Tuesday at Ten Presentations. You can scan through the various<br />

presentations at any time to brush up on numerous Med B topics!<br />

Got a questions? Are you confused about<br />

Medicare B, Accreditation, the Exemption,<br />

Billing Immunizations to Medicare Part B,<br />

CMS 855B, CM855S, HIPAA, FWA, etc ?<br />

NPSC is here to help. Just give us a call.<br />

Don’t make a costly mistake that could cost<br />

you additional money in application fees, etc.<br />

Ask us first!<br />

1-800-532-3742.<br />

8<br />

NETWORK NEWS - NOVEMBER <strong>2012</strong>


Medicare D Update<br />

By David Benoit<br />

As you know we are in the open enrollment period for Medicare D enrollees and eligibles. You probably<br />

want to make certain that the patients who want to continue their care in your pharmacy know which plans to<br />

avoid.<br />

This is shaping up to be the year of the “Preferred” plans. Last year there were four networks that we<br />

could not participate in: Humana-Walmart, Aetna/CVS <strong>Pharmacy</strong>, RiteAid Envision Rx Plus, and First Health Part<br />

D Value Plus (Target, Walgreens and Walmart).<br />

For 2013, there is a new “Preferred” network for all AARP plans. I don’t have a lot of information about<br />

this plan. There have not been any changes to my network contracts regarding these new “Preferred” plans.<br />

When I searched for preferred pharmacies, I found Walgreens, Target, and Stop&Shop. In 2013, Community<br />

Care Rx will disappear. CCRx Basic will be rolled into the Silverscript Basic open network. CCRx Choice will<br />

be rolled into Silverscript Plus preferred network, which can include independents.<br />

Finally there is SmartD, the preferred network that RxAlly is partnering. As you know, this plan has very<br />

deep discounts and a $2 per prescription chargeback. While we have enrolled nearly all NPSC Participating<br />

Pharmacies, we have not elected to market the plan. SmartD has qualified for $0 premium LIS in our regions.<br />

Therefore, there will be some Medicaid enrollees who will be placed in SmartD. Otherwise, we want to see<br />

how SmartD helps RxAlly to develop Medication Therapy Management programs. It is these RxAlly programs<br />

that attracted us in the first place.<br />

NETWORK NEWS - NOVEMBER <strong>2012</strong> 9


Free Tool to Promote Your Adult<br />

Immunization <strong>Service</strong>s<br />

ATTN: IMMUNIZING PHARMACISTS (NCPA e-news 9/25/<strong>2012</strong>)<br />

An enhanced, free, and online immunization locator is now available through HealthMap,<br />

a global disease-tracking resource overseen by researchers at Children's Hospital Boston<br />

Flu season is rapidly approaching, and with it, the launch of the newly redesigned and<br />

expanded HealthMap Vaccine Finder. Vaccine Finder now is highlighting the availability of<br />

all forms of influenza vaccine (traditional flu shot, nasal spray, intradermal and high dose).<br />

Later this year, the Vaccine Finder will expand to cover 10 adult vaccines and help individuals<br />

locate practices that administer the wide spectrum of adult vaccines.<br />

HealthMap Vaccine Finder will use geo-mapping to identify providers from the database<br />

within an identified radius who meet the vaccination criteria of an individual. Listing order<br />

will be based upon distance from the patient. All providers have the opportunity to<br />

enter information on their vaccine services into the database. The system allows you to<br />

upload a spreadsheet for multiple practices (template provided online) or manually enter<br />

information on a single practice.<br />

If you already have a Vaccine Finder account, enter your data on vaccines and vaccination<br />

services. Log-in at http://healthmap.org/vaccinefinder/admin/ to get started.<br />

If you have not already signed up for an account and would like to have your practice<br />

listed on HealthMap Vaccine Finder, go to http://healthmap.org/vaccinefinder/admin/<br />

signup/.<br />

2013 Practice Based Immunization Training for Pharmacists:<br />

Thursday, March 14, 2013<br />

Foxwoods Resort<br />

8:00AM-5:00PM<br />

Contact: joanne.nault@uconn.edu<br />

Check your insurance policy to ensure you are covered to provide<br />

immunizations. If your policy does not clearly state you are<br />

covered, it is more than safe to assume, YOU ARE NOT COV-<br />

ERED!<br />

Contact Al Martinelli at Pharmacists Mutual for a quote that will<br />

include coverage for pharmacists providing immunizations!<br />

al.martinelli@phmic.com 401-339-5902<br />

Attention Immunizing Pharmacies!<br />

ARE YOU COVERED?<br />

10<br />

IMMUNIZATIONS<br />

NETWORK NEWS - NOVEMBER <strong>2012</strong>


By Pat Monaco<br />

NPSC Purchasing Program <strong>2012</strong><br />

The results are…<br />

More money back to you!<br />

For the 1 st quarter of <strong>2012</strong>, we returned $162,473.75 in incentives back to the network.<br />

The wholesaler program changed in April, <strong>2012</strong> to include higher generic<br />

incentives from H.D. Smith and Kinray, so the 2 nd quarter payout to the network increased to<br />

$188,402.31! McKesson’s new generic incentives went into place July 1, so the third and 4 th quarter<br />

payments are expected to increase as well. We are predicting that for the year of <strong>2012</strong> we will return<br />

approximately $700,000 to the network. This number surpasses any in our 20 year history!<br />

We added Quest Pharmaceuticals to the generic distributor listing this year to join Anda and Harvard.<br />

Letco (compounding supplies) which is owned by Harvard re-signed an agreement with NPSC<br />

for another year. Castine Candle joined the program right after the Expo and is doing well; Harmony<br />

is a new vendor for front end products that many of you will be very interested in (see advertisement<br />

enclosed), and Speedscript is a pharmacy system that also has long term care. If you have<br />

some vendors that you would like to recommend to us for the network, we want to hear from you!<br />

Once again, we appreciate your participation in our programs and look forward to returning record<br />

levels of incentives back to you in upcoming quarters!<br />

NETWORK NEWS - NOVEMBER <strong>2012</strong> 11


NPSC Board of Directors<br />

Ed Schreiner Doug Pisano Steve MacQuarrie Mark Dumouchel<br />

Chairman Vice Chairman Treasurer Clerk<br />

Stoll’s <strong>Pharmacy</strong> MA College of <strong>Pharmacy</strong> Marketing Consultant Eaton Apothecary<br />

Waterbury, CT Boston, MA Wellesley, MA Holliston, MA<br />

Darlene Able Scott Campbell Greg Conz<br />

Able Care <strong>Pharmacy</strong> Ocean <strong>Pharmacy</strong> Williamsburg <strong>Pharmacy</strong><br />

Enfield, CT Charlestown, RI Williamsburg, MA<br />

Walter Douglass James Garvey Paul Hackett<br />

Durham <strong>Pharmacy</strong> Apothecare Olden’s <strong>Pharmacy</strong><br />

Durham, CT Hyannis, MA So. Weymouth, MA<br />

Kim McDonough Shane Savage Rocky Tenaglia<br />

Adv <strong>Pharmacy</strong> Concepts Fairfield <strong>Pharmacy</strong> Nantasket <strong>Pharmacy</strong><br />

Kingston, RI Fairfield, ME Hull, MA<br />

<strong>Northeast</strong> <strong>Pharmacy</strong> <strong>Service</strong> <strong>Corporation</strong><br />

1661 Worcester Road, Suite 405<br />

Framingham, MA 01701<br />

Phone: 800-532-3742<br />

Fax: 508-875-6108<br />

www.northeastpharmacy.com<br />

www.facebook/northeastpharmacy.com

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