Where are we at with 2017 Pharmacist Provider Status?
Since the heated election, a host of topics and discussions have been held on National debt and Healthcare. There is really positive news regarding pharmacist provider status.
H.R. 592 was re-introduced to the House of Representatives in January. It was referred to the House Ways and Means Committee. In the Senate S. 109 was introduced, read twice, and referred to the Senate Committee on Finance.
In speaking with folks that know more than me about the blood and guts of the process of passing legislation, the really positive news is the number of cosponsors on the legislation. In the house, the bill was reintroduced with 107 cosponsors. As I checked on Feb. 5th, we are already up #13 to 120. There is also rumblings that this is the last Congress that this legislation will be introduced in. I do not know if that is true or not, but it highlights the urgency of contacting your legislators and getting it done!
In the senate with S. 109, we are at 27 cosponsors (we have added 1 since it was reintroduced in January).
While both bills are currently referred to committees that oversee revenue-related aspects of the Social Security System and Medicare, it’s important to continue to stress the value that pharmacists bring to the table! Most people really appreciate examples of value and I found this awesome study that proves what we do can save a lot of money, not to mention improve the lives of our patients. The Pharm2Pharm project used an investment of under 2 million in pharmacist costs and saved an estimated 6+ million!
Take time today to contact your representatives and tell them about the added value you bring to the healthcare team.
https://www.senate.gov/senators/contact/
http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/
Written in collaboration with Cole Helbling, PharmD, BCPS
So would someone please give me the bottom dollar to the pharmacists for being a provider.
Also, is this a hospital based, or a retail based incentive and where are the hours coming from to perform the duties. The duties that the physician is already being paid for in the office visit.
This is the 3rd time Congress has had a bill. It is IRRELEVANT to have a bill without a vote. Why, with all of these cosponsors, is a vote NOT TAKEN? Is getting the bill in Congress and not getting a vote is one way for ASHP and APhA to get more people to donate money to their respective PACs?
Pharmacy profession is a back bone of health care system but unfortunty we as a Pharmacist in all sectors either hospital ,clinical or retail or production setup we dont get respect and money in reward as we should have , may be this is because of our weakness , we hava almost same no of years study as physician but we are not getting allownces as the physician because our pharmacists community is not united for their rights as physicians and nurses , we must demand for equal rights and rewards , i request to ASHP AphA to be more strong to get their rights ,we are the back bone of health system , we are life savers , we must have equal rights respect and money as other health care providers . We must fight for our profession so that the young generation they should not suffer the issues that we are facing today ,