Anthony V. Minniti, RPh FACA joins the PPN on the PBM Reform Podcast to talk about why the PBMs, in their current state need to be removed from pharmacy care.

As drug prices soar, the White House is taking action by hosting a pivotal listening session on Monday, aiming to dissect and potentially reform the practices of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). This roundtable will unite federal representatives and industry insiders, including Mark Cuban of Cost Plus Drug Company, to scrutinize PBMs' roles in shaping drug coverage and pricing. The focus is on the opaque dealings of PBMs, which many argue contribute to inflated costs for both consumers and the broader healthcare system.

Shocking revelations unveil steep markups by the leading #PBM affecting West Virginia's public employees. The mail-order pharmacy owned by the PBM has been reimbursed as much as 100 times more than other pharmacies for specialty medications. This concerning pattern underscores the urgent need for increased transparency and accountability measures for #PBMs. 

Pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) reform has emerged as a bipartisan priority in a divided Congress, as both Republicans and Democrats have advanced a myriad of bills that would begin to address PBMs, their lack of transparency, and misalignment of the market. At the same time, lobbyists that represent large PBMs continue to argue that drug companies (not integrated PBMs) are to blame for high employer or patient costs.

Are the PBMs a threat to Public Health? | PBM Reform Podcast | PBM Reform Updates

There is good news for pharmacy owners and in this episode we hear from two experts who are helping to bring much needed revenue to pharmacies.  And, what's even better the payments are coming from the medical side of the insurance industry, not the pharmacy side.   Jeff Harrell, PharmD., and CEO of Cascadia Pharmacies is joined by Tara Pfund, PharmD with AssureRx.  They talk about the success Harrell is having working with payers to perform clinical services and be compensated.  



 

The Time Is NOW To Change The Narrative on Payments In Pharmacy | Pharmacy Crossroads

During this episode of the NASP Podcast, Sheila Arquette, President & CEO of NASP, chats about A.I. in Specialty Pharmacy with Carl Mazzanti, Co-Founder and President of eMazzanti Technologies, Microsoft’s four-time Partner of the Year and one of the premier IT consulting services for businesses throughout the New York metropolitan area and internationally. 

Sheila Arquette, President & CEO of NASP, Carl Mazzanti, Co-Founder and President of eMazzanti Technologies

Talking A.I | NASP Specialty Pharmacy Podcast

 I still can’t believe we’re already on season 7 of the podcast - marking 7 years!

And I also can’t wait to introduce my next guest, who I personally got the honor to know as a human and student in my herbal practitioner program. 

Heather Hardin received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Florida in 2005 and is a Board-Certified Ambulatory Care Specialist. After working as a community pharmacist, Dr. Hardin became a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Florida College of Pharmacy from 2010 to 2018.

Heather currently owns her own health and wellness company, Halo Health Services, where she helps clients find more natural ways to address the root causes of their health concerns, decreasing dependence on prescription medications. She works to identify and address the root cause of conditions instead of merely treating the symptoms. 

Heather teaches yoga, leads meditations, and sells her own CBD products. She also hosts two vodcasts/podcasts: “Pharmacists Out of the Box” and “Nurture Your Soul.”

I’m beyond proud and grateful to feature this beautiful soul!

Connect with Heather Hardin via:
Email: heather.hardin45@gmail.com 
Website: HaloHealth.com 
FB: Heather Carroll Hardin 
IG: @pharmie_gal
Linked In: Heather Hardin

15% off first purchase of Halo Health CBD using coupon code "Marina" at checkout (www.HaloHealthCBD.com)

From Western Medicine to Naturopathic Care with Heather Hardin | The Holistic Pharmacy Podcast

TheAnswerPage is a medical education resource that has been providing the highest quality accredited education to the healthcare community for over 25 years. Recently 'The Answer Page" was approved by the New York State Office of Cannabis Management to launch “The New York Medical Cannabis Program Required Course Podcast. Access here: ConveyMED.io Founders of the Answer Page --are Stephen B. Corn, MD, is the founding Editor-in-Chief, and Meredith Fisher-Corn, MD, is the current Editor-in-Chief, of TheAnswerPage.com. TheAnswerPage.com, a medical education website that launched in 1998, and has become an internationally recognized leader in providing unbiased peer-reviewed continuing medical education (CME) content on the endocannabinoid system and the therapeutic use of medical cannabis, pain medicine and opioid prescribing. TheAnswerPage.com provides accredited content for doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, pharmacists and dentists and provides free educational resources also for caregivers and patients. Drs. Corn have created hundreds of continuing medical education courses in multiple areas of medicine, including perioperative &amp; hospital medicine, palliative care, opioid prescribing &amp; risk management, and medical statistics. In 2012 TheAnswerPage.com educational focus became directed at addressing the huge national educational gap in terms of providing formal education on the endocannabinoid system and medical marijuana. Since then, TheAnswerPage.com has pioneered the creation of accredited courses, such as the “New York State Practitioner Education-Medical Use of Marijuana Required Course,” and for the several other states, with a required medical cannabisn course for practitioners, such as for Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Utah and West Virginia. Both Drs. Corn were named “Medical Professional of the Year” by the “Americans for Safe Access” in Washington DC and were the 2017 recipients of the International Association for Cannabinoid Medicine “Special Award for Major Contributions to the Reintroduction of Cannabis as Medicine.”

The Answer Page & Certifications in Cannabis Medicine | TWIRx

Dr. Sheila Carroll is a board-certified pediatrician and obesity medicine physician who is dedicated to helping children achieve their best health. She does this by working exclusively with parents who are willing to focus on modifying their own behaviors to ultimately improve their child's health. 

CONNECT WITH DR. SHEILA CARROLL (https://calendly.com/scarrollmd/coaching)
Schedule a free 30 min strategy session to identify one problem the parent is facing in trying to help their child and work on solving it by gaining clarity next steps.

Host: Tamar K. Lawful, PharmD, APH, CNGS Guest: Sheila Carroll, MD



 

Want Healthier Kids? Listen Up! with Dr. Sheila Carroll | Pivoting Pharmacy with Nutrigenomics

YARAL Pharma, Inc., which launched in 2022, is the U.S. generics subsidiary of IBSA, a long-standing, fully integrated, multinational pharmaceutical company headquartered in Lugano, Switzerland. Yaral is committed to providing high-quality products across a range of therapeutic areas, ensuring continuity of supply, and offering affordable authorized generics and complex generic medicines.    

 



 

Meet Yaral Pharma a Dynamic Newcomer to the US Generic Industry | Yaral Pharma

In this episode, Scott and Tamara discuss more of the advantages of pharmacogenomics within long-term care settings. They present insights gleaned from their practical experiences, shedding light on both the positive outcomes and obstacles encountered in the implementation and utilization of pharmacogenomics.

Topics Discussed:
1) Cost avoidance/cost effectiveness of PGx in the elderly
2) Top genes seen in the long-term care space
3) Challenges/obstacles of PGx in long-term care

Hosts:
Scott Stewart PharmD - linkedin.com/in/scott-stewart-34973870
Tamara Ruggles PharmD BCGP - linkedin.com/in/tamara-ruggles-491882251

PGx in LTC - Part 2 | LTC Pharmacy Podcast

On the last episode of the Pain Pod, we succinctly reviewed all things Cannabis and Cannabinoids including the history, botany, regulations, pharmacology, and clinical utilizations of Cannabis, THC, and CBD. Now it’s time to go one giant leap forward in the realm of pain management, with THE international expert Dr. Kenneth Finn!

You’re not going to want to miss this one!

Come one, come all, to the Pain Pod!!!


Pain Guy
• www.painguy.us

Cannabis in Medicine: An Evidence-Based Approach (2020)
• https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-45968-0

2021 International Association for the Study of Pain Task Force
• https://journals.lww.com/pain/fulltext/2021/07001/international_association_for_the_study_of_pain.1.aspx

CBD for Pain: Ineffective, Expensive, and with Potential Harms (Journal of Pain, October 2023)
• https://www.jpain.org/article/S1526-5900(23)00582-5/fulltext 



 

Cannabis & Chronic Pain: A Chat with Dr. Ken Finn | Pain Pod

Pete Johnson, Pharm.D. is Professor of Pharmacy Practice and President’s Associate Presidential Professor at the University of Oklahoma College of Pharmacy and Adjunct Professor at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Over the last 17 years, Dr. Johnson has practiced in both the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) and Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU) at Oklahoma Children's Hospital at OU Health. Currently, he spends most of his clinical time in the CICU where he also precepts pharmacy residents and students. Dr. Johnson serves as the Residency Program Director for the PGY2 Pediatric Pharmacy Residency at the OU College of Pharmacy. Dr. Johnson received his B.S. in Pharmaceutical Sciences and Doctor of Pharmacy degrees from the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy. Following his tenure at Ole Miss, Dr. Johnson completed a Pharmacy Practice Residency followed by a Pediatric Pharmacy Practice Residency at the University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center. He is board certified in Pediatric Pharmacy and is a fellow of the Pediatric Pharmacy Association (FPPA), American College of Critical Care Medicine (FCCM), and American Society of Health-System Pharmacy (ASHP). His research/scholarship focuses in pain management and sedation in children, pharmacokinetic alterations in critically ill children, and education/training in post-graduate pharmacy trainees.


Pete N. Johnson, Pharm.D., BCPPS, FPPA, FCCM, FASHP

Host Jena Quinn, PharmD, BCPPS, Pediatric Pharmacist

Justin W. Cole PharmD, BCPS, Chair of Pharmacy Practice, Associate Professor at Cedarville University

PICU Delirium | Pediatric Pharmacist Review

Ronna Hauser, SVP Policy & Pharmacy Affairs with NCPA, joins Debbie Marcello on this legislative update Happier at Home PRN Podcast Episode.  From the NCPA: PCMA is out promoting their usual misinformation trying to portray PBMs as cost saving entities. We need YOU to set the record straight! We need you to let lawmakers know how PBMs really impact community pharmacy and your patients. We need you to advocate for common sense solutions. We have several pieces of priority legislation near the finish line and only your elected officials can make them a reality. We've been sending thousands of messages to Capitol Hill in the last few weeks and we need to send thousands more to make sure every single lawmaker hears from us multiple times. When they hear from us, they understand what's at stake. When they hear from you, they understand why it matters.


Act now, or forever wonder if you did all you could do to ensure pharmacy's future!


Tell your legislators to support the following priorities:

S. 2973, the Modernizing and Ensuring PBM Accountability (MEPA) Act (passed 26-1 out of the Senate Finance Committee)/H.R. 5378, the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act (passed the House of Representatives on an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 320-71)

Bans spread pricing in Medicaid managed care by requiring a fair and transparent Medicaid reimbursement to pharmacies and saves over $1 billion!



S. 3430, Better Mental Health Care, Lower-Cost Drugs, and Extenders Act (unanimously passed the Senate Finance Committee)

Includes the No PBMs Act which requires CMS to define reasonable and relevant contract terms in Medicare.




S. 127, the Pharmacy Benefit Manager Transparency Act (passed 18-9 out of the Senate Commerce Committee)

Legislative Updates from NCPA Ronna Hauser | Happier at Home PRN

In this episode Robyn Amberg, a well-known industry figure interviews Bruce Kneeland and asks him to share examples of tactics he has seen pharmacy owners use to help them succeed.  Kneeland says one such tactic is for pharmacists to realize they are healthcare professionals with expertise in medications.  As healthcare professionals, they can provide a number of services that will generate new revenue and enhance their professional stature.  And he says he first witnessed some of these tactics 50 years ago when he was just starting his career.  It should be noted Robyn Amberg currently works for a major industry firm but prefers to not disclose the company.  She is also the daughter of Bruce Kneeland.  

50th Episode SPECIAL; Real World Examples Of Things Pharmacists Do To Be Successful | Pharmacy Crossroads

Episode 2: Finding my niche in Pharmacy

In this episode:

The journey out of retail pharmacy

How I became a telepharmacist

Building my own consulting practice

Visit www.katrinaazer.com to find out how I can help you to:

👉 Figure out what your purpose is and how you can weave that into your career

👉 Get coached into figuring out and building your dream career

👉 Find out how to build a side hustle that earns you income

👉 Bring Pharmacogenomics and Telepharmacy to your practice

Follow me on social media:

➡️ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katrina-azer/

➡️ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pharmxcel

➡️Twitter: https://twitter.com/Kat_pharmacist

The PharmXcel Podcast is a show for pharmacists who want to connect with why they did pharmacy and how to build a fulfilling career by addressing the opportunities and challenges that make us pharmacists—Pharmacists who signed up for pharmacy to help transform patient lives!

Thanks for listening in—it means the world to me!

Here is how you can support my mission:

Give it a 5-star rating wherever you’re listening to it

Share this with other Pharmacists who would enjoy it

Subscribe to get notified of new episodes

And please reach out if you have any questions or comments!

Your feedback will help me bring you valuable content

Finding My Niche in Pharmacy | PharmXcel Podcast

On "This Week in Pharmacy" Diligent Robotics - Andrea L. Thomaz joins #TWIRx talking about how #Moxie Technology is positively impacting Hospital #Pharmacy.

Darshan Kulkarni, with #DarshanTalks updates us on the fight with PBMs and the need for #PBMReform, and Tjasa Zajc, host of Faces Of Digital Health Podcast talks with me about #Pharmacists opportunity and their leverage of #DigitalHealth.

The Robots are Coming!! | TWIRx

With the scope of accountabilities and service offerings expanding in recent years, pharmacists are taking on more medical responsibilities beyond their traditional roles. Because of these increased accountabilities, medical billing is now more critical than ever. 

Aimee O’Reilly, pharmacist and owner of O’Reilly Family Pharmacy in Worthington, Ohio, discusses her journey into the pharmacy profession, as well as into the future of pharmacy, through Cardinal Health’s™ Medical Benefit Billing. 

Here, Aimee speaks to the benefits of using the Medical Benefit Billing program, which enables a pharmacy to bill and track their medical benefits claims in real time. It also lends itself to improved patient care and adds clinical revenue with an innovative, forward-looking solution. In addition, Aimee discusses the distinction between medical billing and pharmacy billing and why it’s important to understand the difference. 

Simplifying the Complexities of Medical Benefit Billing | Cardinal Health™ Counter Talk™ Podcast

Dr. Jena Quinn, PharmD, is a residency Trained, Board Certified Pediatric Pharmacy Specialist (BCPPS), is an expert pediatric pharmacist. She developed the vision for Perfecting Peds based on her extensive background in medication management of the pediatric population, personal love for children and her desire to optimize more children’s medical profile.  She has 10 years of safe medication management and direct patient care experience in the pharmacy field with a wide-ranging background in developing, enhancing and managing clinical consulting programs.  Dr. Quinn earned both her Doctoral degrees with high honors from the Ernest Mario school of Pharmacy. She is a nationally Board-Certified Pediatric Pharmacist. She is also a mom to three adorable little girls, Hadley, Peyton and Avery.

Show Description:
Today's interview features Dr. Jena Quinn, a Hospital Pediatric Pharmacist with over a decade of experience with Labor and Delivery, NICU, PICU, and Pediatric patients. Driven by her passion for medication safety, healthcare advocacy and personal journey as a pharmacist and mother of three young children, Jena founded "Perfecting Peds," a consulting group that collaborates with major health systems, industry payers, and self-pay families to empower patients and improve medication safety. She utilizes pharmacogenetics and evidence-based research to guide women from preconception planning through postpartum care, including lactation, ensuring informed healthcare decisions.

Beyond her clinical work, Jena is breaking barriers by advocating for the needs of pregnant women in the workplace, facilitating breastfeeding, and modernizing maternity leave policies. Her next mission? Launching a Continuing Education (CE) course for pharmacists on Maternal Fetal Wellness so that every pharmacist has the latest knowledge on medication safety in pregnancy.

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Dr. Jena Quinn as she shares her journey and vision for transforming maternal and pediatric healthcare while advancing the role of pharmacists in this vital field.

linkedin.com/in/jena-quinn-pharmd-bcpps-70b1634b
perfectingpeds.com 
jquinn@perfectingpeds.com

Championing Maternal and Pediatric Healthcare | MaternalRx

Learn how you as an independent pharmacy owner is poised to meet the challenges head-on with the services of Happier At Home.  We discuss what sets you apart from your competition and how to leverage that, what unique relationships you have with the healthcare system and how that will jump-start growth, and how being a business owner of Happier At Home will help to add services to your pharmacy that have a greater profit margin.


Debbie Marcello, Founder and CEO and Todd Eury



 

LTC at Home: Strategizing for 2024 | Happier at Home PRN

TransparencyRx is a coalition of PBMs that do NOT align with the evil acronym! Listen in as PUTTcast co-hosts Monique Whitney and Lauren Young are joined by TransparencyRx founder and Managing Director, Joe Shields and APCI General Counsel, Greg Reybold, for an honest discussion on what a transparent pass-through PBM really is (and is not!), and why the coalition fully supports reform legislation - because, no matter what the big traditional PBMs claim to be doing on behalf of their clients, the data always tells a different story. 

Breaking OUT of the PBM Box | the PUTTcast

How Integrated Care Produces Superior Outcomes: Hepatitis C

This is the first of a four-part series outlining how the Shields Health Solutions integrated care model generates superior clinical outcomes in various complex disease states, anchored by Jennifer Donovan, PharmD, VP of Clinical Services at Shields Health Solutions. This week, we also spoke with James Otton, Clinical Pharmacist at Shields Health Solutions to discuss how Shields partners differentiate themselves in Hepatitis C (Hep C) care.

Jennifer Donovan, PharmD - Vice President of Clinical Services at Shields Health Solutions and James Otton - Clinical Pharmacist at Shields Health Solutions

How Integrated Care Produces Superior Outcomes: Hepatitis C | Specialty Solutions; A Podcast on Improving Clinical Outcomes

Meet PurpleLab! Russell Robbins is the Chief Information Officer and #TogetheRx we're launch a new podcast series! 

PurpleLab is a healthcare analytics company whose data platform, HealthNexus, holds one of the biggest medical and pharmaceutical claims databases in the US. 


It combines data from public and commercial HCPs, together with de-identified SDOH information (Social Determinant of Health) so users can have a complete view of the patient population in the US. 


Weight-loss:

PurpleLab’s dataset from October 2022 - October 2023 shows that 2.8M people had been prescribed and dispensed a semaglutide drug. 


PurpelLab's database shows who really is getting access to the drugs by looking into: 

States with most prescriptions (and zoom in on a Zip-3 level)


Men vs. Women prescription and dispense rates


Socioeconomics data of patients 


Race & Ethnicity




In terms of adolescents, issues regarding lifestyle & dietary choices have not changed much through the years, but the data does show that the underlying treatments available for underage patients have changed (mainly given to the FDA’s approval of Wegovy being used on these patients). 


Although HIPAA doesn’t allow the collection of SDOH factors for underage patients (12-17), PurpleLab’s data shows almost an even split between Medicaid and commercial providers prescribing weight loss drugs. This demystifies the popular idea that these drugs are only accessible to higher-income patients.


Learn more: 
https://purplelab.com/category/solution-sheets/ 

 

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