Recently, one of the many but ongoing successes for Tower MSA has occurred. The Wall Street Journal and others covered CEO Rita Ayers’ discussion on pharmacy trends during NAMSAP’s Annual Meeting and Educational Conference on April 25. The Wall Street Journal was just one of many that put out a press release on the discussion. [...] Continue reading → April 8, 2013 On October 2, 2012, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a memorandum to Part D Sponsors concerning the transition to Part D Coverage of Benzodiazepines and Barbiturates beginning in 2013. Effective June 1, 2013, all Workers’ Compensation Medicare Set-Aside (WCMSA) proposals submitted to CMS for a review of the [...] Continue reading → On March, 29, CMS announced the release of a new Workers’ Compensation Medicare Set-Aside Arrangement (WCMSA) Reference Guide. The new guide has been posted and is available in the Downloads section of the CMS Workers’ Compensation Agency Services site at http://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Coordination-of-Benefits/WorkersCompAgencyServices/Downloads/March-29-2013-WCMSA-Reference-Guide-Version-13.pdf. The WCMSA Reference Guide was created to consolidate information currently found within the Workers’ [...] Continue reading → According to an article released by NBC News on April 11, 2013, the FDA posted reports on its web site for 28 of 31 compounding pharmacies it inspected between February and April listing a raft of violations ranging from inappropriate clothing for sterile drug processing to insufficient testing for contaminants. The release of the inspection [...] Continue reading → On November 19th, Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA), Ranking Member Mike Enzi (R-WY) and members of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee sent letters to all fifty state boards of pharmacy, the entities responsible for maintaining registries of pharmacies operating within their state. The HELP Committee is investigating the New England Compounding Center (NECC) [...] Continue reading → Over the past few years, much has been written about the mandatory reporting requirements associated with MMSEA Section 111 and the increased interest in ensuring that Medicare is reimbursed for any conditional payments made for a workers’ compensation injury. Unfortunately, under this same backdrop of focused attention on recovery, very little, (i.e. no) attention has [...] Continue reading → 
Wednesday, Nov 7-9 Las Vegas Convention Center. For 20 years, the National Workers’ Compensation and Disability Conference® & Expo has been the industry’s leading training event. And this year’s event is taking it to the next level – making it the best ever! Key NWCD presentation tracks include the following: A new full set of sessions [...] Continue reading → 
As of Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 317 meningitis cases across several states, including 24 deaths. According to a preliminary report released on Monday, investigators from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health found “serious health and safety deficiencies” at the compound pharmaceutical lab (NECC) tied to the fungal meningitis outbreak. Investigators also found a [...] Continue reading → Is an illegal immigrant working in this country entitled to benefits under the Workers’ Compensation statutes? This question was answered in the affirmative in the Delaware Superior Court case, Del. Valley Field Servs. V. Ramirez, No. 12A-01-007-JOH (Sept. 13, 2012). Saul Ramirez began working as an independent contractor in April 2010, and then working as [...] Continue reading → 
Fight Against Prescription drugs Another state takes up the fight against Prescription Drug Abuse…. “Kentucky House Bill 1, sponsored by House Speaker Greg Stumbo, passed in a special legislative session this spring and went into effect July 20. The bill included multiple elements to prevent the abuse and diversion of prescription drugs and to enhance [...] Continue reading →