AMCP CEO Susan A. Cantrell, RPh, CAE Issues Statement on White House 2019 Budget Proposal

Alexandria, Va., Feb. 12, 2018 — Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) CEO Susan A. Cantrell, RPh, CAE, issued the following statement on President Trump’s budget proposal for fiscal year 2019. The proposal, released today, considers many pharmacy-related issues, including opioid management, Medicaid, Medicare Part B, the 340B program and the Food and Drug Administration.

“AMCP appreciates that the White House focuses so much attention on crucial issues affecting the safety, availability and affordability of pharmaceuticals. 

“In particular, the opioid abuse crisis has devastated lives and communities across the country. We applaud efforts to seriously address this crisis, including by improving the use of state prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) and expanded Medicaid coverage of medication assisted treatments (MAT) for addiction. 

“We also applaud common-sense measures in the proposal that address pharmaceutical issues, such as streamlining the Food and Drug Administration approval processes to encourage approval of more affordable generics. We also support the proposal to allow five state Medicaid programs to implement demonstration projects with innovative approaches to medication coverage and payments, including by allowing the use of private sector approaches such as formularies and other management tools. 

“AMCP will carefully evaluate the entire proposal over the coming days and weeks. We stand ready to work with the Administration and lawmakers with advice from our perspective of representing the professionals who manage pharmacy benefits for more than 270 million Americans. Our goal is to implement common-sense programs that ensure all patients have access to needed medications while also controlling costs.”