It is hard to believe, but we at The Grassroots Pharmacist have been putting out content and resources for nearly a year. During the first year of the pandemic, we saw such dramatic health policy changes happening so frequently that it warranted continual blog posts on all that was changing. As we look forward, andContinue reading “Monthly Roundup – February 2021”
Category Archives: Healthcare Reform
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”
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”
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”
Pharmacy Practice Without the Affordable Care Act – Guest Writer Olivia C. Welter
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) provided millions of Americans with access to health insurance. However, in today’s political climate with the recent confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett, there is a possibility that the ACA will get overturned in the near future. We know that this means tens of millions of Americans willContinue reading “Pharmacy Practice Without the Affordable Care Act – Guest Writer Olivia C. Welter”
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