CEO’s Column

PARTNERSHIPS MAKE PROGRESS

Kate Gainer, PharmD

IPA Executive Vice President & CEO The week before Thanksgiving, I received a call from Ilisa Bernstein, Interim CEO for the American Pharmacists Association. She had an idea to share and a request. Would I be able to fly to Washington, D.C. and join APhA, ASHP and NCPA in a meeting with Senator Grassley? She still needed to request the meeting with his office and coordinate with the other national organizations. It was a long shot, but first she needed to know if I agreed it was a good idea, and—importantly—if I could get there.

The federal provider status legislation (ECAPS – Equitable Community Access to Pharmacy Services Act) was not gaining traction in the U.S. Senate, and help from Iowa’s Senator Charles Grassley was needed. Sen. Grassley has been a champion for pharmacist provider status the past four congressional sessions, and his colleagues defer to him on pharmacy issues. So, what was different about ECAPS and this congressional session from previous sessions and Grassley’s Pharmacy and Medically Underserved Areas Enhancement Act (PMUAEA)?

In short, the PMUAEA allows pharmacists to be paid as providers by Medicare Part B for any services within their state scope only in federally designated medically underserved and health provider shortage areas. ECAPS allows pharmacists to be paid as providers by Medicare Part B in any geographical area only for limited services related to certain respiratory illnesses, testing and treatment.

IPA’s national association partners—including APhA, ASHP and NCPA—have weekly interaction on Capitol Hill with members of Congress, their staff, and federal agencies. These national partners (and others) paved the way for ECAPS to be introduced in the House of Representatives; gained cosponsors (more than any previous Congress); funded a coalition that researched the impact and associated costs and cost savings of the proposed legislation; and identified barriers to progress in the Senate. In short, the ECAPS legislation is closer to becoming a reality than any previous provider status effort.

Through our national partners, IPA learned that Senator Grassley’s main concern was that the ECAPS legislation was not meaningful to rural pharmacists and independent pharmacies. With this knowledge, IPA lit up your inboxes and voicemails asking you, our members, to reach out and share the impact ECAPS would have on your practice and patients and the importance of the policy.

During my 12-hour visit to D.C. that day, one statement really stands out. The Senate staff member emphasized that “hearing from Iowa pharmacists is what made the greatest impact.” With IPA’s unified efforts, and the voice of Iowa pharmacists providing grassroots advocacy, progress was made.

It was clear that the messages from IPA members to Senator Grassley and his staff had made an impact. They had brought him to a level of support, where he had previously been silent on ECAPS policy and legislation. Our national partners were grateful for Iowa pharmacists’ advocacy and IPA’s leadership.

I’m grateful for IPA’s strong partnerships with national pharmacy organizations. They are a quick call, email or text message away. And when the call comes, we’re prepared to jump on a plane and work together. ■

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” – African Proverb

L to R: Ilisa Bernstein (APhA), Kate Gainer (IPA), Sen. Grassley, Tom Kraus (ASHP), Kasey Thompson (ASHP), Douglas Hoey (NCPA)

Executives from IPA, APhA, ASHP and NCPA with Nic Pottebaum, Sen. Grassley’s Health Policy Advisor