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Pharmacy

The spotlight is back on the pharmacy fuss

January 18, 2012

If there's anything the Golden Globes awards show taught us again Sunday night it is this: When big people talk, they make inordinately loud noise, no matter how high the volume on their microphones may be. Expect some loud noise soon in the long-term care arena over Omnicare's hostile takeover bid of rival PharMerica.

Top geriatric medicine professionals gather at ASCP's annual conference

November 10, 2011

The American Society of Consultant Pharmacists' 2011 annual meeting and exhibition will take place Wednesday through next Friday at the Phoenix Convention Center. Kicking off the event will be a keynote presentation by Bill Thomas, M.D., founder of the Eden Alternative® and the Green House Project®. On Friday, renowned researcher Howard Friedman, Ph.D., will present "Findings from the Longevity Project: Discoveries for Health and Long Life from an Eight-Decade Study." Numerous educational sessions, exhibits and networking opportunities also will take place, as top senior care medication professionals gather to learn from one another.

High-stakes deal just warming up

James M. Berklan August 23, 2011

So this is what it comes to when No. 1 attempts to buy No. 2. This could be some pretty lively theater by the time the final curtain drops.

New challenges, opportunities for long-term care pharmacies

Susan Janeczko February 23, 2011

Some 59% of community pharmacies provide critical long-term care services to patients and 100% of them face unprecedented challenges as 2011 gets into full swing.

In big move, DEA allows nurses to relay pain medication prescriptions to pharmacies

October 07, 2010

The Drug Enforcement Agency has eased off of restrictions that have prevented nurses in long-term care from communicating prescription orders for controlled pain medications to pharmacies.

Experts to plan for short-cycle drug dispensing in long-term care

October 01, 2010

Leading pharmacy professionals will meet next Thursday and Friday in Dallas to discuss short-cycle dispensing and its potential impact on long-term care. Federal officials must create regulations for shorter dispensing cycles under the major healthcare reform bill signed into law earlier this year.

Omnicare to pay $21 million in settlement for allegedly overcharging Medicaid

September 23, 2010

Nursing home pharmacy provider Omnicare Inc. on Tuesday said that it will pay $21 million to Michigan and Massachusetts to settle a whistleblower lawsuit.

Omnicare to pay $98 million settlement in kickback scheme; separate complaint filed against Mariner, SavaSenior Care nursing home chains

November 05, 2009

Long-term care pharmacy giant Omnicare has agreed to pay a $98 million settlement in connection with allegations it engaged in an illegal kickback scheme with drug maker Ivax, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Tuesday.

Experimental new Alzheimer's treatment could recover memory

July 16, 2009

The memories of Alzheimer's patients are forgotten but not gone, to twist a popular phrase. Now, one potential new treatment might help to recover some of those lost memories. An experimental drug has the potential to recover memory and improve cognitive function if taken early in Alzheimer's development-especially when coupled with other treatments, researchers say.

Pharmacy lobby pits House against Senate in debate over coverage of dual eligibles

July 07, 2009

Dual-eligible seniors are caught in a Capitol Hill cross fire over a pledge from the pharmaceutical industry to reduce costs by $80 billion, according to reports from Washington.

Report: Drug manufacturer knew Zyprexa was ineffective, deadly for seniors with Alzheimer's

June 15, 2009

Pharmaceutical giant Eli Lily & Co. knew its product Zyprexa was ineffective for treating dementia when it pressured physicians to prescribe it to seniors from 1999 and 2003, according to a report citing recently unsealed company documents.

Study suggests reducing number of Medicare Part D plans could save beneficiaries money

June 09, 2009

The Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit is too confusing for seniors, often leading beneficiaries to choose unnecessarily expensive plans, according to a new study. What's more, seniors may not even realize they're overpaying.

Potentially inappropriate nursing home payments spur increased Medicare Part A, Part D oversight

June 08, 2009

Tens of millions of dollars were likely inappropriately paid to skilled nursing facilities through the Medicare Part D prescription drug program in 2006, according to a recently released report from the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General.

Researchers discuss common therapies that may cause health problems in seniors

June 03, 2009

Two therapies commonly prescribed to seniors carry some significant risks, according to reports presented in Chicago during this week's Digestive Disease Week.

Docs ignoring majority of medication safety alerts, study shows

February 17, 2009

Physicians are overriding a vast majority of safety alerts about potentially bad drug interactions, a new three-state study finds. Doctors, probably more annoyed than enlightened, instead are relying on their own judgment rather than that of commercial services, researchers said in last week's edition of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Federal nursing home spending gains speed while overall healthcare spending slows

January 06, 2009

Federal spending on nursing home and home health accelerated in 2007, even as overall healthcare spending grew at the slowest rate since 1998, according to a new spending report issued today by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

CMS reminds Medicare Part D providers of obligations to nursing home residents

December 03, 2008

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently reminded Medicare Part D plan providers of their duty to provide convenient access to network pharmacies for long-term care residents.

Recruiting seniors into drug trials may help close evidence gap

December 01, 2008

A growing number of scientists are considering a new approach to drug trials. It includes "real world" testing on more elderly patients with multiple chronic conditions.

Anti-frailty pill on the horizon?

November 05, 2008

Researchers in Virginia have identified a drug that has increased muscle mass in older, frailer people.

McCain, Obama advisers discuss long-term care at symposium

September 12, 2008

Surrogates for presidential hopefuls John McCain (R) and Barack Obama (D) spelled out their respective nominees' views on the future of long-term care in the United States at the third annual Long-Term Care Symposium in Washington this week.

Despite warnings, antipsychotics for elderly on the rise

August 27, 2008

Physicians have not sufficiently heeded warnings about prescribing antipsychotic drugs for seniors with dementia, Canadian researchers suggest.

HHS program to pay healthcare professionals who e-prescribe

July 22, 2008

The Department of Health and Human Services has announced a new incentive program to help spur the advancement of electronic prescribing practices.

Bipartisan letter to Bush: Don't cut skilled nursing facility payments

June 30, 2008

Lawmakers in overwhelming numbers last week expressed their dislike of proposed skilled nursing facility payment reductions of $770 million for fiscal year 2009. A total of 40 senators and 110 representatives signed letters of objection to the Bush administration.

Agreement reached on Medicaid rule moratorium

June 20, 2008

The U.S. House of Representatives this week struck a deal with the White House on a supplemental war-funding bill that also includes a moratorium on six of the seven unpopular Medicaid provisions.