NACDS: Pharmacy services provide effective, bipartisan solutions

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Upon the unveiling of President Obama's budget proposal, National Association of Chain Drug Stores president and CEO Steve Anderson said the budget proposal serves as yet another opportunity to highlight the "important role of pharmacy services as a bipartisan solution to an ongoing challenge: reducing healthcare costs while improving people's lives, particularly in the treatment of chronic conditions."

"Pharmacy services provide effective and bipartisan solutions for many of the challenges that continue to face healthcare delivery in this nation, and for many of the questions that seem to arise every year when budgetary concerns emerge front and center," Anderson added. "NACDS is analyzing the specific provisions included in this year's budget proposal, and looks forward to continuing to work on a bipartisan basis for the good of pharmacy patient care."

Anderson noted that the New England Healthcare Institute estimated that $290 billion is spent each year due to medication nonadherence. This amount — which accounts for 13% of all healthcare expenditures — includes preventable and more expensive forms of care, such as physician appointments and emergency room visits.

"The education of pharmacists equips them to help boost medication adherence, the medical term for staying on the correct medication therapy. One way to accomplish this is medication therapy management, which involves methodical strategies to help patients succeed in this important pursuit," Anderson stated. "To advance this important strategy, NACDS urges Congress to advance S. 274, the Medication Therapy Management Empowerment Act."