COURT RULING DELAYS MEDICAID CUTS

Community pharmacy won animportant year-end victory withthe US District Court rulingstopping theCenters for Medicare& Medicaid Services (CMS)from implementing its plan to baseMedicaid payments for generic prescriptiondrugs on AverageManufacturer Prices (AMPs).

The CMS ruling was scheduledto take effect January 31, resultingin pharmacists receiving paymentsas much as 36% lower than whatcertain drugs cost toacquire, according tothe Government AccountabilityOffice.

In the lawsuit against the CMSrule filed by the National CommunityPharmacists Associationand the National Association ofChain Drug Stores, Judge Royce C.Lamberth found there would be"irreparable harm" to communitypharmacies.

For more information, visitwww.PharmacyTimes.com/AMP.