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Dispense Times is the voice of independent pharmacy. APPA is made up of a group of dedicated and experienced professionals in the pharmacy purchasing industry.

We connect owners, innovators, and vendors through stories, strategies, and solutions that strengthen local pharmacies and celebrate the people behind the counter. Welcome to the American Pharmacy Purchasing Alliance (APPA), the leading association for independent pharmacy owners. Our decades of experience enable us to provide members of the association excellent services and valuable information. Our mission is to:
• Meet the discerning needs of pharmacy buyers
• Create networking opportunities for participants
• Educate and provide industry-related information
• Enhance knowledge of pharmacy buyers through educational opportunities and events
• Simplify the process needed to complete certain transactions
• Promote the role of pharmacy purchasing in total patient care
• Provide a unified voice for the members of the association
Our vision is to bring together all entities that play a vital role in the pharmacy purchasing industry for the common cause of improving the industry, protecting all parties involved by understanding new legislation, adopting new technologies to streamline processes and increase productivity and creating an environment where valuable knowledge and information are shared. The members of APPA consist of independent pharmacy owners, pharmacists, and student pharmacists.

10/30/2026

Big news for independent pharmacy owners. CMS just proposed a rule that would change how PBMs get paid in Medicare Part D.

Starting January 1, 2028, PBMs could only accept flat dollar service fees. Those fees could not depend on drug prices or rebates. Manufacturer rebates would have to be passed through in full to the plan sponsor.

This is the delinking reform owners have asked for. Pay tied to drug prices rewards higher prices. Flat fees do not.

The rule is only a proposal. Comments are due December 15.

What should owners tell CMS before that deadline?

10/30/2026

Congress is now asking a question independent pharmacy owners have asked for years.

Are PBM audits being used as retaliation?

On October 23, the House Oversight Committee opened an investigation into CVS Caremark, Optum Rx, and Express Scripts. It is looking into whether independent pharmacies faced a surge in audits after supporting PBM reform legislation.

One audit cited by the committee involved a 99 cent medication. The committee said it took the pharmacy staff hundreds of hours.

An audit is not just paperwork. It pulls staff off the counter. It pulls time away from patients.

The bill at the center of this is the Pharmacists Fight Back Act. It would require fair reimbursement in federal employee health plans and limit steering to PBM owned pharmacies. The committee advanced it 40 to 2 in July.

Audits should check for real problems. They should not punish pharmacies for speaking up.

Have you seen an audit surge after speaking out on PBM reform?

10/30/2026

Growth for an independent pharmacy often starts outside the pharmacy.

Pick five prescribers near you. Visit their offices. Introduce yourself. Leave a card and a simple note about what you do well.

Then follow through. Answer the phone when they call. Solve the prior auth problem fast. Send a quick note when a patient starts something new.

Prescribers refer to pharmacies they trust. Trust is built one solved problem at a time.

Which prescriber office will you visit this week?

10/30/2026

A PBM audit rarely tests your care. It tests your paperwork.

Auditors usually ask for the same set of records. The prescription image. The signature or delivery log. The wholesaler invoice for that drug. Proof the copay was collected.

The strongest habit is to keep those records matched claim by claim, not in separate stacks. When a claim is questioned, you should be able to pull the full story in minutes.

Do one check this week. Pick five recent claims. Confirm each one has a prescription, a delivery record, and an invoice behind it.

What part of audit prep eats the most time in your pharmacy?

10/26/2026

The best staffing plan in an independent pharmacy is a backup plan.

Write down who covers each station when someone calls out. Train a second person on every critical task. Do it before you need it.

One absence should never stop the whole pharmacy.

Who is your backup for the fill station?

10/25/2026

Med sync is one of the simplest growth levers an independent pharmacy already owns.

Pick one refill date each month for a patient. Fill everything together. Call before that date to check what changed.

An NCPA study found patients on med sync were 2.5 times more likely to stay adherent, and 21 percent less likely to stop therapy.

That means steadier refills. It means fewer gaps. It means a monthly touchpoint where you can catch problems early and offer the services that actually help.

Start with ten patients this week. Ask who juggles multiple refill dates. Sync them.

What has med sync done for your pharmacy?

10/24/2026

Purchasing decisions can have a major impact on an independent pharmacy’s bottom line.

Pharmacy Marketplce gives independent pharmacies technology and purchasing intelligence designed to help them make more informed buying decisions.

Thank you to Pharmacy Marketplace for supporting Dispense Times Magazine and independent pharmacy.

10/23/2026

Dispense Times is grateful for the support of Vitality Distributing.

Built for independent pharmacy and designed to be your central fill compounding partner.

Vitality Distributing has no set up costs, is licensed in 42 states, and is fully 503A compliant. Create an account today and enjoy and easier wholesale distribution experience.

Call, text or email Oliver at 435-535-1497 [email protected]

Or visit their website at: www.vitalitydistributing.com to learn more!

10/17/2026

We are grateful to KeySource for their partnership.

Their commitment to integrity is the cornerstone of their business and it shows in the service they consistently provide to independent pharmacies across the USA.

KeySourceKeySource has been delivering value to pharmacies for over 30 years. They are a trusted source of generic pharmaceuticals and we are so thankful for their support.

Learn more at: www.keysource.com

10/16/2026

Thank you so much to The Pharmacy Insurance Group for supporting the Sept/Oct issue ofDispense Times Magazine

Helping independent pharmacies not only survive, but thrive, is one of the reasons we do what we do.

That is why we are thrilled to share resources and events like the one being offered by The Pharmacy Insurance Group

Learn more and register for your spot at pharmacykillers.com

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