CICPO and Medavie Blue Cross Reach New Agreement

NEWS RELEASE

CICPO and Medavie Blue Cross

New Contract seeks to Maximize Health Outcomes while Controlling Costs

2012-07-06 St. John’s NL – For Immediate Release 

The Council of Independent Community Pharmacy Owners NL and Medavie Blue Cross are pleased to advise they have reached a new 3 (three) year agreement.  This is the second successful negotiation of a contract between the two parties and includes financial terms that address the recent generic drug pricing reforms.

This agreement comes at a time when independent pharmacy revenues are being eroded by changes to generic drug pricing at the governmental level. “We are pleased to see Medavie Blue Cross participate in a process of real negotiation and meaningful recognition of independent pharmacy in Newfoundland and Labrador,” says Director of Third Party Relations CICPO, Phil O’Keefe.

“Medavie Blue Cross recognizes the impact of rising drug costs on the industry and our clients”, said Laurier Fecteau, Senior Vice President, Medavie Blue Cross. “We have worked with CICPO’s independent pharmacies to develop unique agreements to ensure all our members have access to the best value at their local pharmacy.”

O’Keefe adds, “Our Council represents local pharmacy service and product delivery in all regions of our province and Medavie Blue Cross recognizes the importance of our role in front-line health care – whether located in rural communities or inner-city neighbourhoods. This continued progressive relationship will achieve best health outcomes at the least possible cost.”

Fecteau continued, “We recognize the important role of Pharmacy in servicing our clients and plan members.  We understand the unique circumstances of independent pharmacies and are pleased we were once again able to negotiate a contract that recognizes the importance of rural and neighbourhood pharmacies in the communities where they do business.”

Both parties continue to develop best practices in their respective responsibilities of health benefits provision and pharmacy collaborative care, and are working jointly on initiatives in the areas of medication and disease management, and collaborative care between pharmacist, physician and patient.

 “Medavie Blue Cross demonstrates an understanding of our unique geography, demographics and pharmacy model – which results in knowledgeable discussions about improving front-line health care delivery. As a result, the people we both serve benefit from a cost perspective and by maximizing best-health outcomes”, concludes O’Keefe.

Both parties also look forward to continued development of pilot projects in the areas of medication and disease management, and the promotion of collaborative care between pharmacist, physician, and patient. 

Medavie Blue Cross, based in Moncton, New Brunswick, offers health, life, and travel products to individuals and employers in Atlantic Canada, Quebec and Ontario.  The Council of Independent Community Pharmacy Owners is a trade body for local pharmacies in Newfoundland and Labrador.

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About the Council of Independent Community Pharmacy Owners

A progressive trade organization representing the majority of independent pharmacies in Newfoundland and Labrador, the Council offers its members business support, third party negotiations, research and development of pilot projects and advanced policy positions. Additionally the Council works with industry partners to ensure the continuity of equitable front-line health care services in all regions of our province.

At a time when Atlantic Canada is experiencing an aging population with escalating occurrences of chronic disease, the Council is dedicated to maximize best health outcomes at the least cost through medication and disease management programs.

About Medavie Blue Cross

With roots dating back to 1943, Medavie Blue Cross provides health, travel, life and income

replacement products to group and individual customers, administers various provincial and federal government-sponsored health programs and, through subsidiary companies, manages ambulance services in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and the Muskoka and Chatham-Kent

regions of Ontario.

A member of the Canadian Association of Blue Cross Plans, Medavie Blue Cross operates from offices in Moncton, Dartmouth, Montreal and Toronto as well as Quebec City, Halifax, Fredericton, Saint John, Bathurst, Charlottetown and St. John’s.

Challenges and Recognition - Pharmacists - your Health

NEWS RELEASE

March 4-10 2012 PHARMACISTS’ AWARENESS WEEK – CHALLENGES AND RECOGNITION

For Immediate Release – St. John’s 02/03 2012

The Council of Independent Community Pharmacy Owners is pleased to support Pharmacists’ Awareness Week with our valued employees.

Each of our member corporations recognizes the valued contribution of pharmacists in our society. Through progressive and supportive employee and employer relationships our businesses are proud of the services we provide to people, neighbourhoods and communities.

The pharmacist continues to be one of the most trusted professions and independent pharmacy one of the most trusted businesses. This week celebrates the work a pharmacist does whether as an employee of government, the University, hospitals, Centre for Health Information, or of the private sector. Our corporate members will continue to work toward providing a stable workplace for our professional staff. Our members companies continue to lobby government for medication management programs that allow our communities to avail of preventative and stabilization consults that our employees are fully qualified to do.

 

Executive Director, Sue Kelland-Dyer says, “The scope of practice of Newfoundland and Labrador pharmacists is lagging behind many other provinces in Canada. The CICPO encourages the Newfoundland and Labrador Pharmacy Board (NLPB) and the employee representative – the Pharmacists’ Association of Newfoundland and Labrador (PANL) to work diligently to correct this inequity being experienced by our employees.”

The CICPO also encourages the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to use this week to reflect on policy choices which may diminish significantly the salaries and benefits for this profession and eliminate the opportunities found in the private sector to deliver additional and advanced medication programs that help to ensure compliance, best use of prescription drugs, and best patient outcomes.

“The demographics of our province show that chronic disease management will become a real budgetary challenge over the coming decade. One of the only real ways to curb the anticipated explosion of prescription drug use is through an expanded scope of practice for pharmacists employed by private sector community pharmacies” adds Kelland-Dyer

The Council is concerned that significant cuts to pharmacy revenues will achieve several undesirable outcomes; a reduction in employment opportunities for these professionals, a reduction in a pharmacist’s wages, a reduction in hours of operation, and the elimination of all non-essential services.

 

Evidence is available in other provinces - where pharmacy revenues have been reduced – that these unanticipated consequences are already occurring. The splintered representation of pharmacists through Allied Health, MUNFA, and PANL may be inadvertently acting to thwart the protection of these essential employees and against finding an equitable solution.

The CICPO is willing to work with other employers such as government, hospital boards, and the university to achieve an equitable benefits and salary package and further willing to work with government to maximize the services our corporations can deliver to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.

The CICPO also encourages the government to review plans to examine emergency room wait-times. Kelland-Dyer states, “Minister Susan Sullivan missed a very important component in the announced study – the Minister missed pharmacists and pharmacies. It is well established that between 10-20 per cent of emergency room visits are due to drug interactions, medication compliance, and the inability for patients to get the drugs they are prescribed in a timely fashion.” 

Kelland-Dyer concludes, “Our businesses employ a large number of the pharmacists practicing in our province and want to take this opportunity to recognize their service and assure them that as employers we are fighting to protect not only the workplace but also their jobs and the services they deliver to our customers.”

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