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Obama Urges Swift Confirmation Of Sotomayor; GOP Mulls Opposition Strategy
President Obama on Tuesday in his official announcement of his nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor of the Second Circuit Court of Appeals to the Supreme Court emphasized what he called her "extraordinary journey" from a modest background to the top of the judiciary, launching a "confirmation battle that he hopes to wage over biography more than ideology," the New York Times reports. If confirmed, Sotomayor would be the first Hispanic and the third woman to serve on the court, as well as the sixth of the court"s current members with a Roman Catholic background, the Times reports (Baker/Zeleny, New York Times, 5/27). Sotomayor would replace retiring Justice David Souter, who typically is a liberal vote on social issues, the Wall Street Journal reports. Therefore, the addition of Sotomayor would not likely change the ideological balance of the court (Bravin/Koppel, Wall Street Journal, 5/27). The Washington Post reports Obama in his remarks cast Sotomayor "as the embodiment of the qualities he seeks in a judge," including superior intelligence, an understanding of the limited role of the judiciary and what he called "an understanding of how the world works and how ordinary people live" (Barnes/Fletcher, Washington Post, 5/27). The president said he wants Sotomayor to be confirmed before the Senate leaves in August for its summer recess, so she can join the court in time for its September review of potential cases. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said that the Senate has "ample time" to complete the confirmation process, as the average time span is 72 days and there are 74 until the recess (Koffler, Roll Call, 5/26). Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) praised Obama"s decision, calling Sotomayor"s record "exemplary" and her nomination "historic." Leahy noted that both former President George H.W. Bush and former President Clinton nominated Sotomayor to federal judgeships, adding, "She has been nominated by both Democratic and Republican presidents, and she was twice confirmed by the Senate with strong, bipartisan support" (Stanton, Roll Call, 5/26).Rulings on Abortion Rights Throughout her career as a federal judge, Sotomayor has not issued what are considered major decisions regarding abortion rights, although her record on cases involving civil and social rights issues appear "more liberal than not," according to the New York Times (Liptak, New York Times, 5/27). Politico reports that Sotomayor has ruled in favor of antiabortion-rights groups in two cases. The first case occurred in 2002 when she sided with the Bush administration in its efforts to implement the "global gag rule," which banned federal funding for international family planning groups that offer abortion services or information with their own funds. Sotomayor ruled that the government had the right to decide how to spend its funding. In 2004, Sotomayor ruled in favor of antiabortion-rights protesters who alleged that they were brutalized while being arrested in West Hartford, Conn. (Gerstein/Javers, Politico, 5/26). Gibbs said that Obama did not ask Sotomayor about issues related to abortion during her vetting and there was "no litmus test" on abortion-rights issues (Koffler, Roll Call, 5/26).Obama"s announcement was well-received by many groups that support abortion rights. NARAL Pro-Choice America President Nancy Keenan said the group is anticipating more information about Sotomayor"s views on abortion rights and the right to privacy. She added that the group is "encouraged by the strong support she receives from her peers and other legal scholars and the fact that the Senate has twice confirmed her for federal judgeships" (Posner, Congress Daily, 5/26). Kim Gandy, president of the National Organization of Women, said that Sotomayor "brings a lifelong commitment to equality, justice and opportunity, as well as the respect of her peers, unassailable integrity and a keen intellect informed by experience." Gandy added that Obama "said he wanted a justice with "towering intellect" and a "common to
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Getting More "Health," Less "Sickness" Into Marriage Vows
It"s June, the month when many couples promise to stay together "in sickness and in health."
News of the day
Research Shows Possibility Of Vaccine For Ear Infections
Otitis media, more commonly known as an ear infection, is the most frequently diagnosed illness in children less than 15 years of age in the United States and is the primary cause for emergency room visits. More than 80 percent of children will experience at least one ear infection before their third birthday. Much research has been dedicated to preventing this common childhood disease at Nationwide Children"s Hospital.
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NCPA To Congress: Health Reform Should Empower Community Pharmacies To Improve Patient Outcomes, Reduce Costs

National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) Executive Vice President and CEO, Bruce T. Roberts, RPh testified today before the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, offering four different recommendations to strengthen a health care reform proposal currently working its way through Congress. NCPA has been working to ensure that community pharmacies can continue providing valuable health care services to millions of patients and to explain how pharmacies can be at the forefront of improving health outcomes and driving down costs. What follows are key excerpts from Roberts" testimony on a "discussion draft" proposal released June 19th: Incorporate Pharmacists" Services into a Reformed Health Care System "The draft House language appears to allow the involvement of non-physician practitioners - such as pharmacists - in the medical home pilot project. We recommend that this language be clarified and strengthened to make it clear that pharmacists should be included. "We also believe that health insurance plans offered under the exchange should provide a comprehensive pharmacy benefit, rather than just a prescription drug benefit. This pharmacy benefit would include prescription drugs plus pharmacist-delivered medication therapy management (MTM) services. These MTM services would be provided for select individuals who take a certain number of medications for chronic illnesses, have multiple chronic medical conditions, and incur a certain level of high prescription drug spending each year." Fix Medicaid Pharmacy Reimbursement System "NCPA very much appreciates the fact that the draft House language includes reforms to the Average Manufacturer Price (AMP)-based reimbursement system for Medicaid generic drugs. "We are concerned that Medicaid generic drug reimbursement at 130% of the weighted average AMP as proposed in the draft House bill, combined with the low dispensing fees paid by states, will, in total, still significantly underpay pharmacies for dispensing low-cost generic drugs in the Medicaid program. "Reimbursement at anything less than 150% of the weighted AMP will mean that independent community pharmacies are selling their products at a loss under Medicaid. NCPA asks that the Committee consider a higher FUL reimbursement rate for generic medications, especially for critical access pharmacies that serve a higher percentage of Medicaid recipients, or rural pharmacies. We also ask that the language include a requirement that states set dispensing fees based on recent cost of dispensing surveys to assure that pharmacies can continue to dispense Medicaid generic prescriptions and keep their doors open." Modify Pharmacy DMEPOS Accreditation Requirements "We believe that requiring state-licensed, state-supervised community retail pharmacies to obtain both accreditation and surety bonds to sell simple DMEPOS items such as diabetes testing supplies to Medicare beneficiaries is basically overkill. "While we understand the need to assure Medicare program integrity, thousands of pharmacies across the country - mostly small pharmacies - will not be accredited at all or not have finished the DMEPOS accreditation process by October 1st - which will mean they will not be able to provide diabetes testing supplies to Medicare beneficiariesò€¦Disrupting their of supply of diabetes testing supplies could result in less frequent blood glucose monitoring and higher costs for hospitalizations and physician visits. "If there is a willingness to exempt pharmacies from these requirements, we ask that Congress consider acting before October 1st, which is the deadline for providers to attain accreditation and surety bonds." Assure Efficient Operation of Public Health Insurance Plan Option "Under the House proposal, payment rates for prescription drugs under the public plan proposal would be negotiated by the Secretary. We would be very concerned with giving authority to set payment rates for prescription drugs to the Secretary without some basic guidance as to how these rates should be established and updated "We also ask that the language be clarified such that administration of any drug benefit under a public plan would be accomplished by a pharmacy benefits administrator (PBA) rather than a pharmacy benefits manager (PBM). That is because under a PBA, most if not all negotiated drug manufacturer rebates would be passed through to the public program. "The public plan would also benefit because "spread pricing" would be eliminated. The public plan option should fully benefit from any rebates or discounts paid by manufacturers or pharmacies, and not have part of these retained by a PBM intermediary. "With respect to any public plan option established, we also ask that standards be established for payment rates to pharmacies, including the establishment of dispensing fees, and that "any willing pharmacy" be allowed to participate in a public plan option if it is developed." To view the entire testimony, click here. National Community Pharmacists Association


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