Senate Bill to Expand Pharmacists' Role Wins NCPA Support

PRESS RELEASE

Alexandria, Va. Jan. 29, 2015 - The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) has endorsed S. 314, The Pharmacy and Medically Underserved Areas Enhancement Act, a bill introduced today by Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) and Bob Casey (D-Pa). It is designed to help seniors in medically underserved communities by allowing state-licensed pharmacists to offer and get compensated for an expanded scope of patient-care services under the Medicare Part B program. In response, NCPA CEO B. Douglas Hoey, RPh, MBA, issued the following statement:

"We commend the leadership of Senators Grassley, Brown, Kirk and Casey toward better utilizing the critical skills pharmacists possess in driving better health outcomes. S. 314 focuses on some of the most vulnerable seniors, those residing in medically underserved areas where health care options are limited, by broadening the availability and coverage of pharmacist-provided services."

S. 314 is a companion bill to H.R. 592, The Pharmacy and Medically Underserved Areas Enhancement Act, which was introduced Jan. 28 by U.S. Reps. Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.), G.K. Butterfield (D-N.C.), Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Ron Kind (D-Wis.) and endorsed by NCPA.

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The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA®) represents the interests of America's community pharmacists, including the owners of nearly 23,000 independent community pharmacies. Together they represent an $88.8 billion health care marketplace, dispense nearly 40% of all retail prescriptions, and employ more than 300,000 individuals, including over 62,000 pharmacists. To learn more, go towww.ncpanet.org, visit facebook.com/commpharmacy, or follow NCPA on Twitter @Commpharmacy.