NACDS urges Congress to pass provider status legislation

WASHINGTON — The National Association of Chain Drug Stores this week shared with the House Ways and Means Committee the important role pharmacy plays in the nation’s healthcare system in an effort to encourage passage of legislaton giving pharmacists provider status under Medicare Part B.

The Pharmacy and Medically Underserved Areas Enhancement Act has been introduced in both the House and Senate, and NACDS’ statement looked to drum up support by outlining the work pharmacists do for patients, particularly in medically underserved areas.

“Pharmacists play an increasingly important role in the delivery of services, including key roles in new models of care beyond the traditional fee-for-service structure,” NACDS said in the statement. “In addition to medication adherence services such as medication therapy management (MTM), pharmacists are capable of providing many other cost-saving services, subject to state scope of practice laws.”

The organization noted that a report from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services found that Part D MTM programs helped save $400 to $525 in lower overall hospitalization costs among patients with chronic conditions. NACDS also said that ensure the success of CMS’ ongoing Enhanced MTM Model pilot, retail pharmacies should be included in them.

“We urge you to increase access to much-needed services for underserved Medicare beneficiaries by supporting H.R. 592/S. 109, the Pharmacy and Medically Underserved Areas Enhancement Act, which will allow Medicare Part B to utilize pharmacists to their full capability by providing those underserved beneficiaries with services, subject to state scope of practice laws, not currently reaching them,” NACDS said.