Rita Patel

NCPA Backs Seniors’ Acceptance to Lower Drugs Copay Bill

Matawan, NJ resident Rita Patel is a licensed pharmacist with over twenty-five years of experience, serving clients in need. An award-winning entrepreneur, she previously owned and managed Shayona Pharmacy in Perth Amboy, NJ. Rita Patel is a member of the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA).

Founded over 120 years ago, NCPA is dedicated to promoting the interests of the 22,000 community pharmacies across the country. Community pharmacies provide one of the most convenient health care services in the entire nation. NCPA expresses its support for bipartisan bill H.R. 4946, known as the Ensuring Seniors Access to Local Pharmacies Act.

The legislation will provide seniors, living in medically underserved areas, access to lower copays at pharmacies of their choice that accept Medicare Part D plan’s terms and conditions for “preferred pharmacy.” At present, pharmacy benefit managers are informing numerous Medicare beneficiaries which pharmacies to go to, which may be further away than a community pharmacy that is willing to serve the beneficiary. It leaves community pharmacies out of the picture and may result in higher copay and travel costs for the beneficiary.

The 2020 NCPA Annual Convention

Accomplished pharmacist Rita Patel operated her own pharmacy, Shayona Pharmacy of Perth Amboy, NJ, for more than a decade. She is passionate about personal service and building relationships with her customers, and her business earned a “Welcome New Business of the Year Award” from the Perth Amboy Merchants Association in Perth Amboy, NJ. Rita Patel is also a member of a number of professional organizations, including the Indian Pharmacy Association and the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA).

NCPA holds an annual conference each year during the month of October, open to all members. Attendees can experience four days of events, including professional development classes, business education events, and social events and competitions. Some previous offerings include an annual student business plan competition and classes covering business ownership, building the front end of your business, and planning tools involved in owning and operating a pharmacy. Exhibitors can also apply to set up a booth during the conference, where they are also welcomed to attend all events as they like. To attend as an exhibitor, you must apply and be accepted by the appointed deadlines.

The 2020 conference is being held in Nashville, Tennessee, from October 17-20, 2020.

National Community Pharmacists Association Membership Benefits

A resident of Matawan, NJ, Rita Patel is an accomplished pharmacist who has close to three decades of experience. Before establishing her own business, Shayona Pharmacy, in NJ, she worked as a staff pharmacist for several establishments in the greater New York area. In the course of her career, Rita Patel served thousands of customers, and she received a mayor’s citation for “Welcome New Business of the Year Award” from the Perth Amboy Merchants Association. She is a member of the National Community Pharmacists Association.

Founded in 1898, the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) is the voice that represents America’s community pharmacies. NCPA advances the rights and interests of both pharmacists and their customers on numerous federal issues. The organization brings together more than 22,000 pharmacy owners. There are numerous benefits associated with becoming a member of the National Community Pharmacists Association. For starters, NCPA offers its members invaluable training, resources, and tools that enable them to boost their businesses and improve the customer experience.

National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) brings together a vast network of pharmacists using a forum where they can learn from each other, share ideas, and gain new insights on how to grow professionally. NCPA also monitors news, trends as well as legal, legislative and regulatory issues that affects its members. Member pharmacies receive a consumer health magazine which is sent to them at no cost enabling pharmacists to continue engaging in health conversations with their patients. Through the digital pharmacist platform, NCPA members can take advantage of free social media tools as well as enjoy special pricing on digital solutions. A majority of patients nowadays want to interact with their pharmacists via digital channels.