Pharmacist.com | Health Care Reform

Health Care Reform Hub

Providing you with practical information on health care reform, what APhA is doing to keep pharmacists’ important role front and center with decision makers, and simple ways you can participate in the process.

›› Pharmacists & Healthcare Reform: Insights and Opportunities Video Series

›› Read APhA's Message to Congress
›› Read the Pharmacy Principles for Health Care Reform.

›› Donate to APhA-PAC Restricted

›› MTM Activities by State

›› APhA2011 Government Affairs Issue Briefs

›› APhA REMS White Paper - May/June 2011 JAPhA

›› APhA's Welcome to Congress Video

›› Legislative and Regulatory Update Year-End Review

›› Pharmacists & Health Care Reform Video Series

What's Happening:
Activities on Capitol Hill and within the Obama administration

›› Pharmacists' role on first PCORI research agenda – Agenda will guide funding announcements for comparative clinical effectiveness research.

›› President Obama nominates Marilyn Tavenner to head CMS – Donald Berwick resigns effective December 2.

›› Heralding progress on adoption, interoperability – ONC summit rallies the health IT troops; e-prescribing among topics.

Other Voices:
Health care reform developments in professional journals and other media

›› MTM saves money in Connecticut – Health Affairs article calls for Innovation Center to look at pharmacist-provided medication management.

›› New NIH center to help create drugs – NCATS to launch by October with billion-dollar financing, New York Times says.

›› FDA's CDER advised by Drug Safety Oversight Board – DSB 'instrumental' in drug safety communications, explain authors in Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics.

Advocacy Resources

›› Tips for Participating a Townhall Meeting

›› A Preceptors Guide for Health Care Reform & Advocacy Learning Experience

›› Join the APhA Advocacy Key Contact Network – Volunteer to make a difference in the profession of pharmacy by becoming a key contact for APhA’s advocacy team.

General HCR Resources

›› Text of the Health Care Reform Laws

›› Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative (PCPCC): Medication Management

›› Chart of Boards and Commissions Established in ACA

APhA in Action:
What APhA and organized pharmacy is doing in the realm of health care reform

›› Work with CMS on independence at home demo – Pharmacists included in primary care teams to help keep Medicare patients out of nursing homes.

›› Essential health benefits: '50 chances' to get MTM included – HHS proposes states decide essential benefits within federal guidelines.

›› No major changes: Final medical loss ratio rule announced – MTM-like services still included; insurer efforts to investigate fraud anticipated.

Stories Pharmacy Can Tell:
Profiles of pharmacists who are blazing a trail toward a new mode of practice in the profession and how that is helping the patients they serve. ›› View stories by state

›› With eye on business model, Tice pushes MTM forward – Pharmacist/entrepreneur translates MTM principles into reality from position with PharmMD in Nashville.

›› Knowledge is power when keeping drug costs down – Mick Hunt of Texas-based Novation connects with hospital pharmacies across the country to stay in the loop on product supply, pricing.

›› Levine improves medication safety one hospital at a time – Pharmacist at Philadelphia-based ISMP offers insight on technology, patient safety, pediatric medication dosing.

Statements

›› APhA Cosigns Coalition Letter on Implementation of the Long-Term Care Short-Cycle Dispensing HCR Provisions

›› APhA Comments to CMS on Standardized Formats for Comprehensive Medication Review Action Plan and Summary

›› APhA Comments to HHS on Medical Loss Ratio