The Independent Pharmacy Alliance Podcast

New York just created the first-in-the-nation Pharmacy Benefits Bureau which will provide much-needed oversight to Pharmacy Benefit Managers. This week we are joined by the Deputy Superintendent for Pharmacy Benefits, Eamon Rock, to discuss this landmark regulatory body, its role in the supply chain, and how they plan to help with patient steering. 

Americans pay some of the highest prescription drug prices in the world. This week we are joined by Robert Popovian, a clinical pharmacist with expertise in drug pricing to discuss how purposefully complex and shady business practices allow PBMs to hide their profit margins from outside scrutiny. For more information follow  Robert on LinkedIn , on Twitter at   @PopovianPharmD . You can also hear...

This week Anthony answers some of the questions we've received recently about the FTC's investigation into Pharmacy Benefit Managers, the new CMS DIR fee rule, and Beyonce's new song. 

Earlier this year the FTC commissioners had a deadlock 2-2 vote on whether to investigate pharmacy benefit managers, effectively killing the proposal at least for now. This week we speak to David Balto, who recently participated in a U.S. Senate panel hearing on PBMs. He tells us what happened, how we can help, and how to get the public to care. 

Pharmacies play a crucial role in ensuring the quality of prescription drugs. In November 2023 a new track & trace regulation could affect independent pharmacies. This week we are joined by the Senior Vice President and General Manager of Healthcare at Inmar, Dwight de Vera, to discuss the services they provide to make compliance with track and trace easier.

Most of the pharmacists we know don’t like filing appeals for low reimbursements because it takes too much time. Most owners are too busy running their pharmacy and sometimes miss opportunities to get the money that rightfully belongs to them. This week we talk to IPA's own Heather Rodgers about how she makes the appeals process easy.

There is a proposed rule addressing retroactive pharmacy DIR fees that appears to move nearly all pharmacy price concessions to the point of sale starting Jan. 1. This week we are joined by Karry La Violette, with the National Community Pharmacists Association to give us an update and address how your comments can make a difference. 

New York passed PBM reform legislation last year with near-unanimous votes requiring pharmacy benefit managers to be licensed by the state, be more transparent about the money they get from drug companies, and more. But what comes next? This week we're joined by Thomas D'Angelo, the Chairman of the Pharmacists Society of the State of New York to discuss just that.

Good news. Governor Murphy signed a new law that requires PBMs working in New Jersey’s Medicaid program to disclose information on spread-pricing to the State. This week we are once again joined by Laurie Clark to tell us how this new law helps carve out PBMs from the state Medicaid program and what else can we do to help independent pharmacies on the state and federal levels.

One of the many frustrating things about owning a pharmacy is filing appeals for low and below-cost reimbursements with Pharmacy Benefit Managers. Most pharmacy owners are too busy running their pharmacy to correct their reimbursements and miss out on opportunities to get money back. This week we talk to IPA's own Heather Rodgers about the best way to file appeals, the common mistakes that owners...

The Biden Administration is wrapping up its first year, with talks of reconciliation bills, 3.5 trillion dollar deals, and big Supreme Court decisions. This week we spoke to Karry La Violette from the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA). She spoke about how the proposed changes affect independent pharmacists, what's being done in Washington to help pharmacy-owners, and how we can hel...

New York has a new governor after a tumultuous end to Andrew Cuomo's term. Now there are four bills sitting on the Governor's desk that could help independent pharmacists in the state of New York. We talked to the Chairman of the Pharmacists Society of the State of New York, Thomas D'Angelo. He told us what it took to get those bills passed the legislature, why they are important, and what other s...

This week we speak with Antonio Ciaccia, the President of 3 Axis Advisors, about how he helped uncover $244 million in PBM spread pricing in Ohio Medicaid. We also speak about the laws that are being proposed that could reduce drug costs at the pharmacy counter and other policy solutions that can bring down patient drug costs.

Dr. Madelaine Feldman is a rheumatologist with The Rheumatology Group in New Orleans, LA. This week she speaks to Anthony about PBMs, particularly the effect that PBM formulary construction and utilization management tools have on pricing and access to drugs (availability & affordability).

Most people aren’t aware of how difficult and complex the legislative process can be. This week we are joined by Laurie Clark who serves as Legislative Counsel to Garden State Pharmacy Owners. She talks to us about the state and federal legislative process and explains to us the best ways for independent pharmacists to get involved.

Independent pharmacies provide important services that are often unavailable at chain locations or elsewhere in the community. This week we speak with Neil Raval, owner of Hickory Pharmacy in East Windsor, NJ, about his passion for community service and his work during the COVID-19 crisis

An interview with Independent Pharmacy Owner Anthony Minniti on how PBMs are endangering the profession of pharmacy and playing doctor.

Independent pharmacies are the last line of defense between patients and a pharmacy system that is quickly becoming a monopoly. Every other Wednesday Anthony Reznik will explore why Americans pay the highest drug prices in the world and highlight the life-saving services independent pharmacies provide.