Does the MMA have special provisions for long-term care pharmacies?
• A: Yes, all plan sponsors must contract with any willing long-term care provider to provide prescription drugs to Medicare beneficiaries residing in long-term care facilities. Plan sponsors will be required to network with LTC pharmacies separately from regular network contracting. CMS will be assuring that residents of LTC facilities have pharmacy service that meets their specialized needs including: • Drug packaging, labeling, and delivery systems for routine LTC medication use (for example, unit dose, packaging in blister packs, bingo cards); • Drug delivery service on a routine, timely basis and access to urgent medications on an emergency basis (for example, 24-hour-a-day/7-day-a-week delivery); • Pharmacist on call to handle emergency, after hours, and holiday calls; • Emergency boxes and log systems; • Standard ordering systems and medication inventories; and • Drug disposition systems for controlled and non controlled substances in compliance with state and federal requiremen
