Drug Topics - December 10, 2007 - (Page 13)

www.drugtopics.com DECEMBER 10, 2007 DRUG TOPICS 13 Community Practice Many pharmacies not ready for DMEPOS accreditation Reid Paul or many pharmacists, the Medicare Modernization has set up a Web site with accreditation information at Act is the gift that keeps on giving. Just beginning www.pharmacistelink.com/medicaredme. to recover from the changes wrought by the Latanzio warns independent pharmacies not to wait Medicare Part D program, and worried about the expect- too long before starting a process that can take six ed impact of the average manufacturer price rule, many months or longer to complete. “Our recommendation is pharmacists are only now beginning to confront yet an- to start to prepare for accreditation now, and sometime other element of the law: DMEPOS accreditation. in 2008, have everything ready to submit,” he said. The landmark healthcare legislation mandated that “Once CMS names the next 70 cities for competitive pharmacies that want to sell any durable medical equip- bidding, there will be a flood of accreditation applicament, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies in the tions, and you don’t want to get stuck in that backlog.” Medicare Part B program must first obtain DMEPOS There are more than 150,000 Medicare billing numaccreditation. Right now the requirement is only in place bers, including some 52,000 pharmacies and only 10 apin 10 select metropolitan areas involved in a competitive proved accreditation agencies. According to Latanzio, bidding process, but experts are predicting CMS will ex- only eight of the agencies are appropriate for pharmacies, pand the requirement nationwide by January 2009. some of which insist on more stringent requirements The relationship between competitive bidding and than are necessary for most pharmacies. DT accreditation is causing confusion for many pharmacists. “A lot of people get confused DMEPOS accreditors that are a better fit for pharmacy between accreditation and competitive bidAccreditation agency Basic costs Notes ding,” said a worried Harry Latanzio, president of PRS Pharmacy Services. “EventuAmerican Board for Certification $825 application fee Program was designed primarily in Orthotics & Prosthetics + $600/year for orthotics and prosthetics sales ally, if you want to sell products to CMS www.abcop.org [Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services], you will have to be accredited.” PRS Accreditation Commission $300 for standards man- Offers preparation guide; have selfhas worked with the National Community for Health Care ual + $3,800 per day of assessment checklist Pharmacists Association to create a prowww.achc.org survey gram to prepare independent pharmacies Board of Orthotist/Prosthetist $1,475 application fee; Can download application form for DMEPOS accreditation. Certification $575 renewal fees for from Web site to prepare for Chains at the very least are quickly gowww.bocusa.org 2nd and 3rd years accreditation ing through the process. Both Walgreens Community Health Accreditation $500 application fee; Offers self-study self-evaluation tool and CVS/Caremark have gone through the Program $5,000 accreditation fee; motions to gain accreditation for all their www.chapinc.org $995 per day of survey locations. “If you are an independent, you have to take a serious look at that,” insistCompliance Team Fees start at $3,900 Participants receive a complete www.exemplaryprovider.com Policy & Procedure Manual ed Latanzio. “The chains want to preserve their diabetic customers.” HealthCare Quality Association $200 application fee; Paperless process with a custom Many independent pharmacies, however, on Accreditation $2,300 for lowest tier of Web-based Workroom and with help are standing on the sidelines at the moment. www.hqaa.org pricing for a pharmacy from accreditation coach “I’m concerned that the system may be overJoint Commission Fees begin at: The Joint Commission is an whelmed,” said William Popomaronis, www.jointcommission.org $805 annual fee; independent, not-for-profit organizaR.Ph., NCPA’s VP of home-health and $1,305 survey fee tion that accredits nearly 15,000 long-term care pharmacy services. “I hope healthcare organizations independent pharmacies will take this opportunity to understand the quality stanNational Association of Boards $1,250 application fee; Program is targeted to suppliers who of Pharmacy $1,500 survey fee; $150 possess a current valid state dards and educate their staff and begin the www.nabp.net annual renewal fee pharmacy license process now.” To help in the process, NCPA F http://www.drugtopics.com http://www.pharmacistelink.com/medicaredme http://www.abcop.org http://www.achc.org http://www.bocusa.org http://www.chapinc.org http://www.exemplaryprovider.com http://www.hqaa.org http://www.jointcommission.org http://www.nabp.net

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Drug Topics - December 10, 2007

Drug Topics - December 10, 2007 Latebreakers Latebreakers in Depth Letters Health-System Edition - Cover Story Clinical Practice Professional Practice Special Report Technology Community Practice Unraveling Medicare 150 Years of American Pharmacy Rx Care In the Pipeline Cover Story: Fair or foul? Self-Care Chains and Business Government and Law Continuing Education: Natural Medicines for Bone Health New Products Advertisers Index Classified Viewpoint

Drug Topics - December 10, 2007

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