GRANT PROMOTES MTMS EDUCATION ON CPT CODES

The Pharmacist Services Technical Advisory Coalition (PSTAC) has been awarded a grant from the Community Pharmacy Foundation to support an educational campaign on Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes used for medication therapy management services (MTMS) provided by pharmacists.

The campaign will include the development of Web-based educational materials, including case studies and resources, to help pharmacists integrate CPT codes and coding procedures into their various practice environments and systems. The campaign's goal is to reach all pharmacy settings; therefore, the educational materials will be rolled out to state pharmacy associations through the National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations.

The American Medical Association CPT Editorial Panel approved 3 CPT codes to allow pharmacists to communicate with payers that provide an MTMS benefit. The codes were released July 1, 2005; took effect January 1, 2006; and are intended for MTMS performed face to face between a pharmacist and a patient. For pharmacists to facilitate this service-oriented practice and payment model, they need training, education, and promotion regarding the codes.

More information on the initiative can be found at the PSTAC Web site: www.pstac.org.