Action Needed: Urge Congress to Support Pharmacist Clinical Services
Dear Viewers:
We need your help today. Congress returned to Washington, DC this week and health care reform is on the docket. To find savings and help fund reforms, as the House merges its bills (from the Education and Labor, Energy and Commerce, and Ways and Means committees) and as the Senate merges its bills (from the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, and Senate Finance committees), we anticipate that Members of Congress will cut programs from the current health care reform (HCR) proposals. We do not want to be among the cuts.
Regardless of how Congress decides to expand or fund access to the health care system, we must take advantage of this opportunity to improve the quality of care and lower health care costs by improving patient access to pharmacist clinical services. It is a critical time for pharmacy to demonstrate its support for the pharmacy-related provisions in the health care reform proposals.
The Issues
While APhA supports several provisions in each proposal, we are focused on three priorities that improve patient access to pharmacist clinical services that are included in the House
Tri-Committee, House Energy & Commerce (E&C) Committee, and the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee proposals. These provisions would:
- Include Pharmacists as Part of Integrated Care Models (House Tri-Committee Section 1301; Senate HELP Section 212);
- Include Pharmacists in Payment for Transitional Care Activities (House Tri-Committee Section 1151; Senate HELP Section 216); and
- Conduct a Medication Therapy Pilot (House E&C: Congressman Butterfield (D-NC) Amendment; Senate HELP Section 213)
Make your voice heard in this critical debate that affects the future of the profession. Please take a moment to contact your Members of Congress and express your support for pharmacist clinical services as a part of any health care reform proposal.
Thank you in advance for your support.
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