The Federal Retail Pharmacy Program for COVID-19 Vaccination will launch this week with a goal to increase access to the vital vaccination across the United States. Early on in the pandemic, pharmacists were identified as trusted members of the health care team to provide testing and education to the public. As vaccines have become available,Continue reading “Pharmacists in the Spotlight: Federal Retail Pharmacy Program for COVID-19 Vaccination”
Author Archives: The Grassroots Pharmacist
Budget Reconciliation and the Possibility for Pharmacy
This week you’re going to hear the same two phrases… a lot. Budget resolution and budget reconciliation. We’ve provided an overview of The Budget Reconciliation Process in a previous blog post, but this time we wanted to get a bit more in depth, especially since a closely divided Congress may end up using the reconciliationContinue reading “Budget Reconciliation and the Possibility for Pharmacy”
What pharmacists can expect for health policy from a united government
On January 20th, President Biden was sworn into office, along with Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock who were sworn in as Senators representing Georgia. This marks the transition of majority control for both bodies of the legislative branch and the Presidency to the Democrats. The idea of a united government, or one party having majorityContinue reading “What pharmacists can expect for health policy from a united government”
Final CMS rule changes that matter to pharmacists
In the final days of the Trump administration, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have finalized a flurry of rules and made announcements that can impact both the profession of pharmacy and the patients of pharmacists. This week, we review these rules and what to look out for as the leadership of CMSContinue reading “Final CMS rule changes that matter to pharmacists”
President-Elect Joe Biden & Prescription Drug Pricing Reform – Guest Writer Grace Singson
As the number of cases and lives claimed by the COVID-19 pandemic continue to surge, access to affordable prescription medication remains a leading healthcare priority for Americans. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 29% of the estimated 195 million patients taking prescription drugs do not take their medications as directed due to costs. This canContinue reading “President-Elect Joe Biden & Prescription Drug Pricing Reform – Guest Writer Grace Singson”
A reflection on pharmacists’ advocacy in 2020
We hope that each of you are making the most of the season and are finding some comfort in what might be a very different holiday celebration. We here at The Grassroots Pharmacist didn’t anticipate writing an end of the year post, partly because so much of this had been played out and said elsewhere.Continue reading “A reflection on pharmacists’ advocacy in 2020”
The Gap with Implementing Pharmacist Policy – Guest Writer Matthew Westling
Recently, the Journal of the American Pharmacists Association published a secret shopper study describing counseling provided during the dispensing of naloxone at chain pharmacies in Texas. Although it may seem crazy that the average counseling time was only 89 seconds, what was more striking was that any formulation of naloxone was unavailable at almost one-thirdContinue reading “The Gap with Implementing Pharmacist Policy – Guest Writer Matthew Westling”
Changes to pharmacist’s incident to billing and the Physician Fee Schedule
Wow! We thought things may slow down for a bit after the election, but instead health policy changes seem to be happening more frequently than ever. As rates of COVID surge across the country, it is vitally important pharmacists understand these changes and how they apply to practice. By better understanding these rapid health policyContinue reading “Changes to pharmacist’s incident to billing and the Physician Fee Schedule”
Racial Disparities During the COVID-19 Pandemic Continue – Featuring Larry Selkow
Earlier during the COVID-19 pandemic, we reported on the racial differences affecting our communities and the potential solutions pharmacists can provide. As the pandemic continues on, we see how these disparities remain magnified during public health emergencies. An analysis published last week describes continued higher mortality rates of communities of color as compared to Whites,Continue reading “Racial Disparities During the COVID-19 Pandemic Continue – Featuring Larry Selkow”
Supreme Court Case 18540: Rutledge v Pharmaceutical Care Management Association – Guest Writer John Little
For many years, the business practices of Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) have been scrutinized, since they often limit patient access to medications and have significant impacts on community pharmacies. Research shows that PBMs cause prescription drug prices to increase, which is exactly the opposite of the role they were designed to have. They do thisContinue reading “Supreme Court Case 18540: Rutledge v Pharmaceutical Care Management Association – Guest Writer John Little”
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