Association Perspective
Scott J. Knoer, MS, PharmD, FASHP, APhA EVP and CEO
During his first State of the Union address, President Biden spoke about the need to protect our communities from COVID-19 and announced a new “Test to Treat” initiative. President Biden described “Test to Treat” as an initiative that would allow people to “get tested at a pharmacy and, if they prove positive receive the antiviral pills on the spot at no cost.” A day after the President’s address, the White House released the National COVID-19 Preparedness Plan, which provides details about the administration’s efforts to implement the initiative at pharmacy-based clinics, community health centers, and long-term care facilities.
The President’s initiative acknowledges the critical role pharmacists play in our health care system to combat this pandemic and deliver services to patients where they are. However, this alone does not mitigate the need for Congress to address a long-term solution to alleviate gaps in care for patients who rely on America’s pharmacists.
The unfortunate reality is that most pharmacists won’t be able to participate in the “Test to Treat” initiative. Only licensed independent practitioners authorized to provide care and services will be involved. While the initiative includes pharmacists who are also physician assistants or nurse practitioners, it excludes most pharmacists from COVID-19 treatment efforts.
The exclusion of pharmacists from the “Test to Treat” initiative is puzzling given the essential role pharmacists have continued to play during the pandemic. As of March 2022, pharmacists have administered more than 233 million COVID-19 vaccine doses. Pharmacists are among the most trusted and accessible health care providers, with 95% of Americans living within 5 miles of a pharmacy today.
Many of the most vulnerable patients have insufficient access to health care and rely on pharmacists to provide care where they live. But “Test to Treat” doesn’t ultimately draw us closer to reaching those rural and underserved communities, even though we know Americans visit community pharmacists approximately twice as frequently as they visit their primary care physicians.
At a time when health care facilities were forced to close or were overburdened by COVID-19, pharmacies remained open. Many pharmacists expanded services to provide greater access to COVID-19 testing and vaccination to help communities manage their health.
While “Test to Treat” recognizes the value of pharmacists, it will not close a critical gap in the response to this pandemic or any future pandemic. Today, pharmacists are not consistently reimbursed for COVID-19 testing, vaccination, or treatment services. Instead, pharmacists provide these services under temporary authorizations and emergency declarations that will soon expire, threatening patient access now and in the future.
If Congress doesn’t recognize the opportunity to pass legislation to reimburse pharmacists now, then when? Our country needs legislation that ensures patients have consistent access to COVID-19 care from pharmacists and creates a Medicare Part B reimbursement mechanism for services provided by pharmacists related to COVID-19 and any public health emergencies. In doing so, Congress can ensure patients maintain access to pharmacist care and empower pharmacists to respond to the public health threats of today and tomorrow. This is a vital and necessary step to create a more just and equitable health care system. ■