Thad Cochran: “implementation of the Medicare prescription drug plan has helped provide prescription drug coverage for millions of…”

“implementation of the Medicare prescription drug plan has helped provide prescription drug coverage for millions of Medicare beneficiaries who previously did not have access to medications. Many seniors are now paying less for prescription drugs and the savings for the prescription drug program are even greater than expected. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, CMS, and health care providers worked together to plan and implement this program and from the beginning, pharmacists played a significant role in making this benefit successful. Pharmacists assisted their Medicare patients in the selection and enrollment process and filled prescriptions for patients, regardless of the guarantee of timely reimbursement. Pharmacists continue to be diligent in serving their patients and providing much-needed medications, despite financial difficulties they have encountered in providing these services. We are introducing a bill today to assist pharmacists as they continue to serve their patients and as they help to continue the success of the Medicare drug benefit. This bill will allow pharmacists to achieve efficiencies in reimbursement for the products they provide to Medicare beneficiaries. This is especially important to the small, rural independent pharmacies in my State.”