As part of ongoing collaborative work to find ways for TRICARE beneficiaries to better access their needed medications from community pharmacies, NACDS met with Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD), one of the key leaders of the effort. Sen. Rounds is meeting with all stakeholders individually ahead of a Department of Defense (DoD)-hosted meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, June 26.
The meeting will likely be the first step in a stakeholder process recommended by lawmakers. NACDS, the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) have been invited to participate in the meeting next week to discuss changes to the TRICARE pharmacy program to improve patient access to care and reduce costs.
NACDS previously thanked Sen. Rounds and Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) for their leadership in sending a bipartisan letter, signed by 23 senators, to DoD’s Robert Wilkie, undersecretary for personnel and readiness. The letter expressed appreciation to DoD for agreeing to convene stakeholders from DoD, the pharmaceutical manufacturing community and the retail pharmacy community to explore ways for TRICARE patients to better access their needed medications from community pharmacies, regardless of whether their medications are brand or generic.
