AMCP comments on development in National All Schedules Prescription Electronic Reporting Reauthorization Act

PRESS RELEASE Alexandria, Va., July 24, 2015 — The Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) is pleased that the House Committee on Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on Health has unanimously advanced H.R. 1725, the National All Schedules Prescription Electronic Reporting (NASPER) Reauthorization Act.

The bill, authored by Reps. Ed Whitfield (R-KY) and Joseph Kennedy (D-MA), would reauthorize the NASPER program to support state prescription drug monitoring programs. H.R. 1725 now goes before the full Energy & Commerce Committee for consideration.

AMCP supports the legislation because it will assist health care providers, law enforcement and state and professional licensing authorities in tracking and identifying individuals who are abusing controlled substances.

The Academy, however, recommends improving the legislation by allowing states to disclose information from prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) to health plans and pharmacy benefit management (PBM) companies. PDMP data generally is available to prescribers, pharmacists, pharmacies, law enforcement personnel and other health care providers, but has not been available to health plans and PBMs.

This means that health plans and PBMs may be unaware of certain controlled substance prescriptions for some individuals, and thus do not have all the information necessary to take steps to address inappropriate utilization or abuse.

While the subcommittee did not consider amendments, AMCP will continue working with lawmakers in both the House and Senate for inclusion of the recommendation in the final bill.

To read H.R. 1725, visit here. To read AMCP’s July 23 letter supporting the legislation, visit here. For more information or to arrange an interview with AMCP experts on this legislation, contact Neal Learner at nlearner@amcp.org.