Legislation Updates

Pharmacy Policy & Legislative Day

By Rosalin Preechakul, PharmD, APh, BCPS, Legal Affairs Chair

On August 4th, CSHP hosted a virtual Pharmacy Policy & Legislative Day where attendees were able to connect directly with policy makers to understand the policies and programs enhancing the scope of pharmacy practice. Below is a brief summary of some of the topics discussed.

Federal Provider Status Update

Dr. Kyle Robb, State Policy and Advocacy Associate, ASHP

What does “Provider Status” mean?

“Provider Status” means designating pharmacists as “providers” in the Social Security Act. This would pave the way for pharmacists to be added to the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule thereby enabling direct compensation to pharmacists for patient care services to Medicare beneficiaries via Part B Benefit.

Pharmacy and Medically Underserved Areas Enhancement Act (HR 2759/ S1362) would amend the Social Security Act to add pharmacists as eligible Part B providers in Medically Underserved Areas (MUAs) as defined by the Heath Resources & Services Administration.

The bill aligns Medicare state laws, which allow pharmacists to provide a variety of care services, including medication management, monitoring chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension, smoking cessation services, and coordinating transitions of care.

Why hasn’t Federal Provider Status Passed?

Factors impacting passage:

(1) Cost: Congress is hesitant to pass this legislation due to costs and have asked for legislation with a smaller price tag (2) Legislation is limited: This bill only addresses reimbursement for pharmacists in medically underserved areas and populations. (3) Other Providers: Hesitancy from other providers to expand pharmacist provider status

What can you do to help?

Please continue to submit your support letters by following the link on CSHP to support this bill.

(Legislation Updates continued)

Continue to give support to AB 1328 (Irwin)

AB 1328 by Assembly member Jackie Irwin, is currently making its way through the Senate. The bill minimizes barriers and restrictions in existing law by permitting pharmacists to administer CLIA-waived tests, perform health screenings and manage those conditions in concert with, and as a part of, a multi-disciplinary health care team. Below are suggested talking points you can share

1) Pharmacists play a vital role in California’s health care delivery system, utilizing their expertise and accessibility to deliver high quality patient care. The vast majority of people live within 5 miles of a community-based pharmacy. 2) California has a health care system that has been overtaxed by the pandemic, a rapidly aging population, and communities with poor access to physicians and other practitioners. 3) This pandemic highlighted limitations imposed on pharmacists hindering the ability to respond to public-health emergencies, provide basic public-health care services and patientspecific care for which pharmacists are trained and educated. 4) Last year, pharmacists were not able to take part in responding to the pandemic and relieve stress from the impacted health care system until a mix of Executive Orders, waivers, and the passage of legislation allowing for pharmacists to provide testing and vaccination during COVID-19 pandemic were implemented. 5) Pharmacists are currently not able to provide patients more than a few CLIA waived tests even though these tests are defined by the FDA as simple tests with a low risk for incorrect results.

6) AB 1328 would authorize pharmacists to more fully engage in public health activities and allow them to administer many CLIA-waived tests to help detect disease early 7) AB 1328 minimizes barriers and restrictions in current law by permitting pharmacists to order, administer, and interpret results for CLIA waived tests and notify the patients’ physician of the results.

8) The aim is to promote patient health and support the health care system by providing access to screening and getting patients in touch with the appropriate provider. 9) If a patient does not have a physician, the pharmacist will provide the patient a list of physicians and surgeons, clinics, or other health care service providers to contact regarding care for abnormal results.

10) AB 1328 expands access to care – prevention and early identification of acute and chronic disease, improves quality of care and length of life while reducing economic burden.