Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy Combats Medicare Fraud
A graduate of St. John’s University in New York, Ellen Scharaga draws upon an extensive pharmacy background in her current position as an operational consultant with Alegria Specialty Infusion and Pain Pharmacy. An active member of the field, Ellen Scharaga holds membership in professional groups such as the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP). For more than 25 years, AMCP has served physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and the patients they serve through a combination of online learning initiatives, networking events, and publication and aggregation of peer-reviewed research papers. Additionally, AMCP serves the industry by advocating for important legislative and regulatory issues related to pharmacies, medication, and health care policy. Among other issues, AMCP has dedicated its advocacy efforts to combating the problem of Medicare fraud and waste in the United States. The organization actively collaborates with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and Medicare fraud-prevention organizations to suggest legislation and policy specifically related to Medicare Parts C and D. As part of these efforts, AMCP has helped draft proposed legislation such as the Medicare Prescription Drug Anti-Fraud Act of 2015, which aimed to reduce fraud by suspending payments to pharmacies suspected of fraud. AMCP drafted the bill to rectify a situation in which prescription drug providers are required to pay pharmacies even in cases of suspected fraud, leading to a wasteful “pay and chase” cycle in which providers must try to reclaim fraudulent payments after the fact.