UPDATE: House & Senate Vote to Override Bush's Veto of HR 6331!! Thank you for your calls!

The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives have voted to override President's George W. Bush's veto of H.R. 6331, the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008. In response Bruce T. Roberts, RPh, Executive Vice President and CEO of the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA), issued the following statement:

"America's 23,000 community pharmacies have just been given the prescription for success in the healthcare marketplace. The passage of this bill will guarantee community pharmacies the ability to help millions of patients and to compete on a level playing field."

"The road ahead for healthcare is long and windy, but with the help of a U.S. House and Senate committed to patient access, community pharmacy will continue to prosper as a critical member of the healthcare community."

UPDATE: Last week, the United States Senate passed H.R. 6331 by a vote of 69 to 30. The legislation includes provisions requiring prompt payment of pharmacies in Medicare Part D, a delay of the disastrous AMP reimbursement scheme in Medicaid, and a delay of the DME competitive bidding program. H.R. 6331 now heads to President Bush's desk for his signature where he is expected to veto the bill.

It takes a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate to override a presidential veto. The 69-30 vote in the Senate and the earlier 355-59 vote in the House would meet that threshold -- if all of those positive votes hold firm. These votes should hold firm, but it will take your phone calls this week to make sure.

We need every community pharmacist to call their Representative and Senators today and ask them to override President Bush's expected veto of H.R. 6331. This is the last step in the process of making these critical pharmacy provisions a reality.

Your 20,000 plus calls and emails to Capitol Hill on these issues were vital to the passage of H.R. 6331. Now we need to get this bill across the finish line. Call today. Call tomorrow. Keep calling. Make sure your Senators and Representative understand the future of community pharmacy is at stake.
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Call today and urge support of an override of President Bush's expected veto of H.R. 6331. We need you and your employees to call today.
Find Your Congressional Representative Here (on the top left is a place to enter your zip)
Senator Clinton's (D) Contact Info
Senator Schumer's (D) Contact Info

A staff person will answer the phone:
Tell them your name, pharmacy, location, and number of patients you serve.
-Urge them to override President Bush's expected veto of H.R. 6331, which includes provisions for prompt payment of pharmacies in Medicare Part D, a delay of the disastrous AMP reimbursement, and a delay of the flawed DME bidding program.
-The House and Senate have already passed H.R. 6331 by a veto-proof majority, but now it is likely they will have to vote one more time to override the President's veto.
- Please tell the staffer that unless H.R. 6331 is passed, patients could start seeing even more pharmacies go out business as soon as early next year.