Congressional leaders in both the House and Senate are getting an earful from their home-state pharmacists who are seeking legislative action to reverse the imminent Medicaid reimbursement cutbacks for generic prescriptions.

In Nevada, pharmacists from across the state rallied in Carson City to urge Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D, NV) to bring corrective legislation to the floor for a vote. Without passage of S 1951, the Fair Medicaid Drug Payment Act, "community pharmacy's economic viability is threatened, as well as patient access to pharmacy services," professional leaders said.

Meanwhile, San Francisco pharmacists gathered to pressure House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D, CA) to use her power to ensure that action is taken to correct the generic-reimbursement problem. Instead of pharmacy-reimbursement cuts that make generic-drug use less likely, the California pharmacists want legislation that will increase government savings by promoting generic dispensing.