NC Independent Pharmacy Professionals

Proactively supporting local pharmacies to succeed in business and enhance services and level of care in their communities.

Our Purpose	Our Vision	Our Mission
The Independent Pharmacy Professionals was formed to unite independent pharmacists, owners, and technicians to establish a collective voice through strategies necessary to protect patient rights, as well as fortify, sustain, and advance local independent pharmacy practice.	The Independent Pharmacy Professionals will strive to preserve patient care through local, quality, and community-based pharmacy services.	To unite, serve, protect, and advance independent pharmacy practice.

IPP GroupMe

Click Here to join the IPP GroupMe and connect with other Independent Pharmacists across the state

Pharmacy Marketplace: The Technology That Helps You File PBM Appeals Seamlessly

Description:

North Carolina pharmacies aren't losing appeal fights—they're losing appeal attempts. The law already gives you the right to challenge below-cost commercial reimbursements and MAC pricing. The problem isn't legal, it's operational: no staff bandwidth to track deadlines, no system to document underpayments claim-by-claim, and no time to build an appeal packet between filling scripts and answering the phone.

This session flips the conversation from "you can appeal" to "here's how you actually will." We'll walk through Pharmacy Marketplace, a technology platform built to remove the exact friction points that keep NC pharmacies from filing: automated underpayment detection, pre-built documentation, deadline tracking, and a guided escalation path—so appeals stop depending on whether someone on staff had a free hour that week.

What you'll walk away able to do:

Identify underpaid claims automatically instead of manually auditing reimbursement reports line by line
Generate appeal documentation in minutes, using the platform's built-in templates aligned to NC-specific PBM appeal requirements
Track every appeal's deadline and status in one place, so nothing expires from being forgotten
Escalate unresolved appeals to the NC Department of Insurance with the documentation trail already built, ready for enforcement action
Turn appeals into a repeatable weekly workflow, not a one-off fire drill your best tech does when there's time

Presenters:

Kris Rhea, MBA — Director of Business Development, Pharmacy Marketplace
Kris has spent the last 15 years working alongside wholesalers, GPOs, and other strategic partners to help independent pharmacies operate stronger businesses. He's personally visited over 2,500 pharmacies nationwide, giving him a firsthand view of the day-to-day operational barriers—including PBM appeals—that keep independents from recovering the revenue they're owed.

Kayla Copeland, CPhT — Lead Trainer, Pharmacy Marketplace
Kayla brings 15 years of hands-on experience in independent pharmacy, currently serving as lead technician at Anderson Drugs in Etowah, TN, while pursuing her PharmD at South College. Known internally as the team's PBM Appeal Guru, she's the creator of the M.O.M. Manual and has trained pharmacies across multiple states on how to turn appeal rights into an executable, everyday workflow.

Who this is for:

Independent NC pharmacists and staff stuck in appeal "failure to launch syndrome"—you know the underpayments are happening, you know you have the right to appeal, but the claim never actually gets filed before the deadline passes.

The core shift: this isn't a compliance refresher. It's a live demonstration of the system that turns North Carolina's existing appeal rights into real dollars recovered—without adding hours to your week.

Regional Meetings
Regional meetings have been held for Independent Pharmacists and Owners across different regions of North Carolina throughout 2026, check your email for an invite and registration details.

Check out these pictures from our recent events!


Graham Region #1 (Alamance, Caswell, Rockingham, Orange, Person, Guilford)	Winston-Salem Region #2 (Alexander, Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Iredell, Rowan, Stokes, Surry, Wilkes, Yadkins)	Hickory Region #3 (Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, alexander, burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Cleveland, Lincoln, McDowell, Miytchell, Rutherford, Watagua)

Coming to other regions throughout the year, check your email or the IPP GroupMe for updates.

Important Links for Independent Pharmacy Owners

Why Join IPP?

Our priority is helping local independent pharmacy professionals build a strong, supportive community. By attending IPP events, you’re automatically a member of this community! The Independent Pharmacy Professionals (IPP) Group at NCAP brings together independent pharmacists and technicians who believe in the power of connection, advocacy, and shared expertise.

Build Relationships	Support Your Business
Opportunities to connect with independent pharmacists and technicians across the state who have the same drive, passion, challenges, and needs. Make connections through the Association for a variety of small business needs and financial opportunities.	Use our materials and resources specific to independent pharmacy. This includes templates, toolkits, and business opportunities. NCAP provides resources to help your pharmacy advocate for your patients.

Strength in Numbers	To Exchange Ideas
Your involvement and support as a member make a huge difference. The louder our voice, the more we can do to protect independent pharmacies in NC.	Access to IPP meetings and the online discussion board gives you direct access to other IPP members to exchange information, support, and ideas. NCAP works to help bring your ideas to life and better support our independent pharmacies.

Advocacy & Impact
The NCAP Independent Pharmacy Professionals (IPP) serve as a voice for independent pharmacy. IPP actively advocates for the advancement and protection of independent pharmacy practice. Members receive timely updates on legislative and regulatory issues—such as PBM reform, payment parity, scope-of-practice expansions—and have opportunities to participate in innovative NCAP grant projects that directly impact the profession.

Who We Are

Leaders and Chairs of the Independent Pharmacy Practitioners (IPP) Group play a key role in guiding the direction, impact, and growth of the group. They help identify priorities affecting independent pharmacy practice, facilitate meaningful discussion among members, and serve as a bridge between IPP members and NCAP leadership. By organizing meetings, encouraging member engagement, and elevating ideas from the field, IPP leaders ensure members’ voices are heard and translated into action.

IPP Leaders and Chairs also support NCAP’s advocacy efforts by helping shape policy positions, sharing timely legislative and regulatory updates, and mobilizing members around critical issues such as PBM reform, payment parity, and scope of practice advancements. Through collaboration, mentorship, and strategic planning, they work to strengthen the independent pharmacy community and advance the profession across North Carolina.

	IPP Chairs

	Co-Chair	Co-Chair
	Elizabeth Locklear	Ritesh Patel
	IPP Leadership Team


Leadership Team Member	Leadership Team Member	Leadership Team Member	Leadership Team Member
Jordon Baker	Danny Barnes	Kim Ferguson	Corey Furman



Leadership Team Member	Leadership Team Member	Leadership Team Member	Leadership Team Member
Miranda Hill	Bobby Rawls	Jessi Stout	Greg Vassie