Arkansas Pharmacists Association

10/07/2026

🚨 PHARMACY OWNERS: THIS MAY BE OUR 1 SHOT!

CMS is asking for input on what “reasonable and relevant” PBM practices should look like in Medicare Part D.

This is our opportunity to tell CMS what is really happening: PBM underpayments, unfair contracts, abusive audits, patient steering, restrictive networks, take-it-or-leave-it terms, and excessive payments and markups at PBM-affiliated pharmacies — particularly on high-cost specialty and cancer drugs.

The new federal law, the 2026 Medicare PBM reforms in the Consolidated Appropriations Act,
gives us an opportunity to finally address abusive and unfair PBM practices in Medicare. All 6 members of Arkansas’ congressional delegation voted YES to start this process.

If your pharmacy dispenses Medicare Part D prescriptions, WE NEED YOU TO RESPOND.

🔥 This may be our 1 shot to help rewrite the rules. Tell CMS what PBM practices are doing to your pharmacy, your patients, and prescription drug costs.

Stand up for your pharmacy. Stand up for your patients. Don’t sit this one out. MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD!

NCPA has prepared a template to make responding easy. It only takes a few minutes:

As you are aware, CMS recently released its long-awaited request for information (RFI) regarding Part D reasonable and relevant contract terms. CMS is seeking public comment, and we need all independent pharmacy owners, regardless of practice...

10/06/2026

10/06/2026

We're headed to Monticello on Thursday, October 8 for the next stop on the Arkansas Pharmacists Association's 2026 Regional Meeting tour at the Monticello Country Club. Registration begins at 5:30 p.m., dinner is served at 6:30 p.m., and the educational program runs from 7:00–9:00 p.m.

🏈 Team Spirit Theme! Wear your favorite team colors or jersey and show off your team spirit. There will be a prize for the best-dressed attendee, so come ready to represent your team!

Connect with fellow pharmacy professionals, hear the latest updates on advocacy efforts and issues impacting pharmacy practice, and strengthen our collective voice for pharmacy in Arkansas.

✅ Register today: https://members.arrx.org/ap/Events/Register/g4Fn4EDCzCyCo

09/26/2026

Congratulations 🎈 to ASU Red Wolves health care administrator and former head trainer Ron Carroll for his 600th consecutive game attended for Arkansas State (1976-present)! Ron is APA member and former APA President Stephen Carroll’s father. 🤩

09/24/2026

🏈 The 2026 APA Regional Meetings are still going strong! 🏈

Tonight, we’re headed to Fort Smith! If you haven’t registered yet, it’s NOT too late to join us. Same-day walk-in registration is available in person, or you can call the Arkansas Pharmacists Association office at (501) 372-5250 to register over the phone.

📍 Fort Smith — Tonight, September 24
📍 Jonesboro — Tuesday, September 29
📍 Russellville — Tuesday, October 13

💻 Prefer to register online in advance? You can register here:
👉 https://members.arrx.org/ap/Events/Register/g4Fn4EDCzCyCo

We’ve got more meetings coming up in October, so there are still plenty of opportunities to join us for an evening of networking, professional insights, advocacy updates, dinner, and 2.0 hours of ACPE-accredited continuing education!

And don’t forget to show your team spirit! Wear your favorite sports team jersey, colors, hat, or fan gear and help us bring the competition to each meeting. 🏆

Come join us at a location near you! We’d love to see you there! 💙❤️

09/22/2026

Kicking Off Another Week of the 2026 APA Regional Meetings!

As we begin this week's round of Regional Meetings, with tonight's event in Rogers, we want to shine a spotlight on our Team Spirit Winners from last week's meetings in North Little Rock and Hot Springs. Their energy and enthusiasm set the tone for an incredible season of connection across Arkansas pharmacy.

We are keeping the momentum going with two more September meetings after tonight
• Fort Smith – Thursday, September 22
• Jonesboro – Tuesday, September 29

More locations are coming in October, and we cannot wait to see the team pride continue to grow.

👉 Register now at https://arrx.org/regional-meetings/ and join us for an evening of networking, advocacy updates, continuing education, and a little friendly competition.

Let us make this week another great one for Arkansas pharmacy!

09/16/2026

09/15/2026

🏆 LET THE TEAM SPIRIT BEGIN! 🏆

Our Pharmacist of the Year, **Stephen Carroll**, is inviting YOU to join us for the 2026 APA Regional Meetings! 🎥🙌

🏈 Tonight kicks off the first game of the season in North Little Rock! 🏈

Come show off your team spirit, connect with fellow pharmacy professionals, and enjoy an evening of networking, pharmacy updates, and 2.0 hours of ACPE-accredited continuing education.

👕 Wear your favorite team apparel and show us what team spirit looks like! Jerseys, hats, team colors, or whatever shows off your team pride!

🏆 Don’t forget, the person with the **Most Team Spirit** at each location will win a prize!

📅 September Regional Meetings

📍 Tonight, September 15
North Little Rock

📍 Thursday, September 17
Hot Springs

📍 Tuesday, September 22
Rogers

📍 Thursday, September 24
Fort Smith

📍 Tuesday, September 29
Jonesboro

These meetings will conclude our September schedule, but we’re not done yet! 🎉
📅 More locations are coming in October!
Stay tuned for more opportunities to join us across Arkansas.

Register in Advance Here!
🔗 https://members.arrx.org/ap/Events/Register/g4Fn4EDCzCyCo

We can’t wait to see you there! ❤️💙

09/11/2026

“We wouldn’t trust a referee who owns the team to call a fair game. We can either substitute constant administrative supervision as a referee, or we can demand structural separation and allow the game to function properly.”

Arkansas Act 624 oral arguments in the U.S. Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals (federal appeals court) are scheduled for Tuesday September 22, in St Louis, Missouri.

Op-Eds Op-Ed: Joel Thayer: The drug middlemen settled, but the conflict of interest remains. JT Joel Thayer September 9, 2026 · 24 hours ago The Federal Trade Commission has now extracted settlements from all three of the nation’s largest pharmacy benefit managers. Express Scripts agreed in Febru...

09/09/2026

🏀🏈⚾ Join Us for the 2026 APA Regional Meetings! 🏐🏀⚾

President Stacy Cooper invites you to join us for the 2026 APA Regional Meetings happening across Arkansas this September and October!

These meetings are a great opportunity to connect with fellow pharmacists and pharmacy professionals, stay up to date on what’s happening in our profession, and enjoy time with colleagues from across the state.

And this year, we’re adding a little friendly competition! 🎉

👕 Sports-themed dress code: Wear your favorite team jersey, colors, or fan gear and show us where your team spirit stands! The attendee with the most team spirit will win a prize! 🏆

📍 Meetings will be held in:

North Little Rock — September 15
Hot Springs — September 17
Rogers — September 22
Fort Smith — September 24
Jonesboro — September 29
Monticello — October 8
Russellville — October 13
Searcy — October 15
Camden — October 20
Mountain Home — October 22

⏰ Advanced registration for all September regional meetings ends Saturday, September 12!

Come learn, connect, represent your team, and have a little fun with your pharmacy colleagues!

🏆 Who’s bringing the most team spirit? We’ll see you at the 2026 APA Regional Meetings! 💙

Register below👇
https://members.arrx.org/events/Details/2026-apa-regional-meetings-1885682?sourceTypeId=Hub