Bill Becomes Law, Includes Jones Language to Keep Community Pharmacists in Business through Prompt Payment
Third District Representative Walter B. Jones (R-NC) applauded yesterday’s passage of H.R. 6331, the Medicare Improvement for Patients and Providers Act of 2008, legislation that will accelerate reimbursements to community pharmacists for Medicare Part D claims and prevent a scheduled 10.6 percent cut to Medicare’s physician pay rates. The Congress overrode Tuesday morning’s presidential veto by a House vote of 383-41 and a Senate vote of 70-26. The legislation now becomes law.
Included in H.R. 6331 is language based on legislation first introduced by Congressman Jones and Congressman Marion Berry, H.R. 5182 – The Fair and Speedy Treatment (FAST) of Medicare Prescription Drug Claims Act of 2006. Jones and Berry reintroduced the legislation in this session of Congress as H.R. 1474, the Fair and Speedy Treatment (FAST) of Medicare Prescription Drug Claims Act of 2007. This portion of the bill will alleviate the negative impact of the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit on independent pharmacists by ensuring that pharmacists are not forced out of business by inadequate, slow reimbursement and unclear claims processing.
“As a result of the implementation of the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit, many independent pharmacists have been facing a financial crisis. The impact of the drug benefit has already put some pharmacists out of business, and has threatened many more,” Congressman Jones said. “I am very pleased that Congress has now passed legislation to alleviate this problem. Prompt payment will ensure that pharmacists may continue to serve their local communities, and will preserve patient access to life-saving prescription drugs and the advice of their pharmacists.”
The Medicare Improvement for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 included provisions of the Jones-Berry legislation to ensure that:
pharmacists are paid for their services in a timely manner by requiring Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (PDPs) to offer electronic direct deposit of reimbursements to participating pharmacies;
claims submitted electronically will be paid within 14 days, and all other claims will be paid within 30 days; and
pharmacists are promptly notified if there are problems with submitted claims.
Posted on Wednesday, July 16, 2008
by Walter Jones for Congress