MTM still in as House vote looms
APhA watching pharmacy-related amendments to HCR bill, including
ones on reimportation of medications, HSAs.
While outwardly confident, Democratic leaders in the House of
Representatives are still herding their flocks for tomorrow’s
historic vote on the Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962).
In the Senate, where a filibuster-proof majority of 60 votes is needed,
health care reform (HCR) is on a slower track, with votes possible
before Thanksgiving but final action now not expected until January.
The HCR process, a major campaign issue during 2008, became President
Barack Obama’s chief legislative priority after passage of the
economic-stimulus bill in February of this year. Pharmacy organizations
have been working overtime to make sure that, regardless of what happens
on controversial issues such as the public option and abortions, the
profession’s agenda is addressed. APhA has emphasized medication
therapy management (MTM) services, and all five bills that came out of
committee on Capitol Hill reflect a need to address medication use in
this country, and to one degree or another, a potential role for
pharmacist clinical services.
The House Committee on
Rules is meeting today for votes on preliminary amendments to
the HCR bill. According to APhA Vice President for Government Affairs
Kristina Lunner, one of the amendments to watch would allow
reimportation of prescription drugs. Proposed by Republican Jo Ann
Emerson of Missouri, the amendment adds H.R. 1298, the Pharmaceutical
Market Access and Drug Safety Act of 2009, to the HCR bill. Another
amendment concerns whether patients can get reimbursed for
over-the-counter products under their tax-exempt health services
accounts. This amendment was introduced by South Carolina Republican J.
Gresham Barrett.
This weekend, watch Twitter for updates from APhA if HCR reaches a
vote on the House floor. A full update will be posted on pharmacist.com
on Monday, or if the vote is delayed, soon after it occurs.
The latest news on the Senate side is that Democratic leaders are
aiming for final action in time for President Obama’s State of the
Union address, normally delivered in late January. Since final action
would be on a merged Senate/House bill, the Senate would need to act
well before then. Some votes could come before the Thanksgiving break,
but a specific timetable has not been released.
Related resources on www.pharmacist.com
Related resources on the Web:
L. Michael Posey, BPharm, (mposey)
Posted November 6, 2009, 5:00 pm EDT
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