CPhA helped form a huge coalition of pharmacy partners and patient advocates to fight the 10% Medi-Cal cuts and to prevent the potential patient harm these cuts could cause.  We are in the process of engaging a PR firm, a legal firm, a grassroots effort, media outreach, and more to protect California's pharmacy patients.  This effort is going to be extremely costly and while the CPhA board allocated significant funding for this effort, we need your help as well.  Today, we established a Pharmacy Defense Fund for California. You can make your contribution by clicking here.

Alliance for Patient Care - Assembly Call-In Day MARCH 25
The Alliance for Patient Care, of which CPhA is a member, is having a call-in day on Tuesday, March 25, to remind Assembly Members of the serious harm the Medi-Cal cuts will inflict on health care in California and to tell them to stop the Medi-Cal cuts.  You can find your Assembly member by visiting http://192.234.213.69/lmapsearch/framepage.asp.  We are focusing only on the Assembly with this call-in; a Senate call-in day will be scheduled in the next few weeks.  The Assembly Democratic caucus annual retreat is taking place on March 26-27, so our message will be fresh in their mind as they discuss the budget.

Important and Urgent Update

CPhA wants to remind everyone that as of April 1, 2008 all written Medi-Cal prescriptions MUST be on tamper-resistant prescription pads. It is important for you to note that the law requires these prescriptions to be on these pads or they are not eligible for reimbursement.  CPhA has been working with the California Medical Association to help raise awareness with physicians about this requirement.  A nationwide campaign is underway as well.  APhA recently distributed a hard copy of a Congressional Dear Colleague Letter regarding the tamper-resistant prescription pad requirement and with the April 1 tamper-resistant prescription pad implementation deadline quickly approaching, APhA partnered with NACDS and NCPA to develop prescriber, pharmacist and patient education pieces.  You can view these pieces by clicking here.

California Integrated Waste Management Board

On Monday, I attended one of the two workshops held by the California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB). The workshop was on SB 966, which passed last year and requires CIWMB to develop standards for pharmaceutical waste take back programs.  It was a very informative morning.  Many of the chain drug stores were represented as well as some independent pharmacies that are already doing these programs.  There are still a number of hurdles to move past before this becomes a wide spread practice. We look forward to our continued work with this group to find viable solutions.  The second workshop concentrated on sharps take back programs. We will provide more information on this as it becomes available.  We appreciate all the hard work and dedication of the stakeholders present. 

REMINDER - CPhA's Legislative Day Rapidly Approaching

Due to all the issues facing CPhA and pharmacy right now, we need a huge turnout this year.  While you can register right up to Legislative Day, the earlier you register the better, so that we can plan for space, food and materials.  After today it becomes extremely difficult to set up legislative appointments for you.  You can register for CPhA's Legislative Day, which takes place on April 16, 2008, at www.cpha.com/legday.

Good Neighbor Pharmacy Dinner Meeting

On Wednesday, Kathy Lynch spoke at a Good Neighbor Pharmacy cluster dinner meeting in Palo Alto.  More than 60 independent pharmacy owners were in attendance and listened as Kathy spoke about key legislative issues taking place in Sacramento and in Washington, DC.  Kathy said it was a great event and that the pharmacists were very concerned about all the issues facing pharmacy.  Kathy always appreciates the opportunity to speak to pharmacists about legislative issues and hopes that they will continue to engage as members of CPhA and the profession of pharmacy. 

Western University's Legislative Day Awareness Night

This evening, Western University of Health Sciences is hosting a legislative awareness night. Jeff Goad, CPhA President-Elect and Theresa Andrews, Director of Membership, will be speaking on behalf of CPhA. In addition, Western University has lined up some really terrific speakers such as Chair of the Board of Equalization, Judy Chu, Senator Gloria Negrete-McLeod, Assemblymember Mike Eng, Victor Law from UPNI and CPh-PAC Board Member, and Mayor Norma J. Torres of Pomona. The focus of the night is to present the students at Western University with the issues affecting their profession as well as to prepare the students for CPhA's Legislative Day on April 16th. I will report next week on how the event went, but it sounds like a terrific time for all those who attend.

New CPhA Staffer

I'm pleased to announce the arrival of a new CPhA staff member, Latrese Childress, who will be taking on the Executive Assistant/Office Manager role. Latrese came on board to help out with Outlook, so many of you may have already met her at the registration desk. She has a degree in Communication Studies from CSU Northridge and a strong customer service background. She's the first voice you will hear when you call CPhA and we are confident that she will be a great asset to the team. Please join me in making her feel welcome.

10 Days Left to Complete Evaluations and Claim CE Credit for Outlook 2008!

If you attended CE sessions at Outlook 2008, you have until March 31^st to use the on-line process to complete program evaluations and print your Statements of Credit.  Before you visit www.pharmacyfoundation.org/OutlookCE, make sure you have the specific "voucher codes" for the sessions attended and then click here for step-by-step instructions that will guide you through the entire process.  If you have questions or need help, please contact Shannon Presidio at spresidio@pharmacyfoundation.org.  Remember, you must have your evaluations completed and Statements of Credit printed by March 31, 2008.  Evaluations submitted after this date may not be valid for CE credit.

Release of California's Standards & Guidelines for Healthcare Surge during Emergencies

On Tuesday, February 19, 2008, the California Department of Public Health released the Standards and Guidelines for Healthcare Surge during Emergencies. The volumes are posted on www.bepreparedcalifornia.ca.gov.

Part D Update:  CMS POS Facilitated Enrollment - 4 steps

Teri Miller with the California Department of Health Care Services posted the following:  The attached document is CMS's most recent (2-28-08) description of the Point of Service (POS) Facilitated Enrollment process.  Per CMS: "The POS FE process was designed to ensure that individuals with both Medicare and Medicaid, "dual eligibles," who are not yet enrolled in a Part D prescription drug plan are still able to obtain immediate prescription drug coverage when evidence of Medicare and Medicaid eligibility is presented at the pharmacy. "Please note: "Other individuals who qualify for the Part D low-income subsidy (LIS), also called "extra help," are also now able to use the POS FE process."  To view the document, click here.

APhA Book of the Month

This month, APhA's Book of the Month is Geriatric Pharmacotherapy: A Guide for the Helping Professional.  You can get this great title and other titles for 20 percent off of the regular price.  Visit www.aphanet.org to order this month's selection.  

In the News

Paul Rohrer was interviewed for a Stockton Business Journal article regarding the 10% Medi-Cal cuts.  The Stockton Business Journal does not have an online version, so if you are in the area, you should pick a hard copy.

There has been a flurry of news articles regarding e-Pedigree during the last week.  A large feature piece will be in this Sunday's Los Angeles Times and is likely to be picked up in several other papers across the state.  CPhA and several members have been interviewed for this article.  This article is in anticipation of the Board of Pharmacy meeting that will take place in San Diego on Tuesday devoted to this topic.  We will post the article in next week's CEO message. 

Question of the Week

Dear Lynn,

I serve on the Board of Directors for the California Immunization Coalition.  We have a bill, AB 2580, that has a good chance of passing, but the Assemblyman wants to see broad support for it.  Does CPhA have a position on this bill?  I think we should support it.  They have letters of support from CMA, AAP, ANA, and few others.

Jeff Goad

CPhA President-Elect

Professor, USC

Answer

Dear Jeff,

Yes, we are in support of this bill and sent off a letter today to the author's office.  CPhA is very supportive of expanding the pharmacists role into appropriate areas of patient care.  Click here to view the langueage of AB 2580.  Thanks for the question.