NCPA Announces 45th Annual Legislative Conference in May; Registration Open

PRESS RELEASE

Alexandria, Va. February 11, 2013 - The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) today announced it will hold its 45th annual Legislative Conference on May 7-8, 2013 in Washington, D.C., when hundreds of community pharmacists are expected to visit Capitol Hill to advocate for the value of independent community pharmacies and the patients they serve.

The event will also coincide with Community Pharmacy Advocacy Week May 6-10. That week, community pharmacists will meet with their elected officials and other decisionmakers in Washington and at home, as well as state policymakers, to discuss bipartisan pro-patient, pro-pharmacist policies to improve health outcomes and reduce costs.

"This is a pivotal year for independent community pharmacy, with issues such as cuts to Medicare reimbursement rates for diabetes testing supplies, mandatory mail order programs, and changes to compounding regulations on the table," said NCPA CEO B. Douglas Hoey, RPh, MBA. "With the creation and expansion of state health care exchanges also taking shape this year, the role of the pharmacist in the delivery of health care services is more important than ever. Our Legislative Conference will give members of Congress and others a chance to hear directly from the people on the front lines of providing patient care in their local communities."

This year, NCPA is debuting a new, shorter conference schedule to give NCPA members more flexibility while still maximizing their time and advocacy efforts during their visit to Washington. The registration fee has also been reduced to ease the cost of attending. The conference will once again feature panels and briefings with congressional and federal agency staff, a rally on Capitol Hill, and personal visits with members of Congress.

Hoey continued, "NCPA members look forward to meeting one-on-one with their elected officials to share their personal experiences about how pharmacist-delievered services can reduce costs and about practices that harm small businesses and impact patients' ability to choose the pharmacy that's best for their needs."

NCPA members can register for the conference online at www.ncpanet.org. A preliminary schedule and guest speaker information will be announced in the coming weeks.