ACCP Medicare Coverage Initiative - Direct Patient Care Services of Qualified Clinical Pharmacists as a Covered Medicare Benefit
ACCP has established a comprehensive initiative that will pursue legislative and regulatory changes to the Medicare program and relevant sections of the Social Security Act (42 USC and relevant sections, primarily Section 1861) to recognize the direct patient care services of qualified clinical pharmacists as a covered benefit under the Medicare program.
Frequently Asked Questions about ACCP’s Medicare Initiative
Medicare Initiative Advocacy Packet
Medicare Initiative One Page Summary – A concise summary of the Medicare Initiative providing talking points on why “getting the medications right” is an essential objective for a modernized, cost-effective and quality focused Medicare program.
Medicare Initiative Congressional Issue Brief - A two page overview of the Medicare Initiative outlining the need for a comprehensive medication management benefit under Medicare Part B and providing details of our legislative proposal.
Medicare Initiative Data Document – Aggregated data from 19 distinct medication management service practices that demonstrates the value of comprehensive medication management services and provides evidence to show that including these services under Part B would improve outcomes and lower costs.
To learn more about this important initiative, please review the resources below:
- May 2019: ACCP Statement to the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Prescription Drug Coverage in the Medicare Program
- April 2019: ACCP Comments to HHS on Best Practices from the Pain Management Best Practices Inter-Agency Task Force: Updates, Gaps, Inconsistencies, and Recommendations
- March 2019: ACCP Statement to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP): Recommendations to Address America’s Rising Health Care Costs
- May 2018 – ACCP Statement congratulating Adam Boehler on his appointment as Director of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation.
- February 2018 – ACCP Opioid Epidemic Statement 2018
- November 2017 – ACCP Statement to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in Response to the Request for Information (RFI) Related to a New Direction for the CMS Innovation Center
- May 2017 – ACCP Comments Senate Committee on Finance, “Examining Bipartisan Medicare Policies that Improve Care for Patients with Chronic Conditions”
- March 2017 – News Update: ACCP Testifies Before House Committee on Appropriations
- March 2017 – ACCP Testimony to the House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Hearing for Outside Witnesses
- December 2016 – ACCP Comments to CMS related to Final Rule implementing the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA).
- December 2016 – ACCP Letter Congratulating President-Elect Trump on his Election Victory
- December 2016 - ACCP Letter Congratulating Congressman Erik Paulsen on his Election Victory
- ACCP Letter of Congratulations to Rep. Welch.pdf
- June 2016 – ACCP Comments to CMS related to the implementation of the core Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and Alternative Payment Model (APM) provisions of the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA).
- June 2016 – ACCP Congressional Briefing Slides - “Getting the Medications Right”: An essential ingredient in achieving the goals of H.R. 4878 – the Medicare Better Care, Lower Cost Act
- May 2016 – ACCP Congressional Briefing Announcement - “Getting the Medications Right”: An essential ingredient in achieving the goals of H.R. 4878 – the Medicare Better Care, Lower Cost Act
- March 2016 – ACCP letter to Representatives Erik Paulsen & Peter Welch endorsing the reintroduction of the“Better Care, Lower Cost Act.”
- December 2015 – ACCP Comments to CMS in Response to Request for Information Regarding Pharmacist Labor Cost Association with Direct Practice Expense Calculations.
- October 2015 – ACCP& CPNP Comments to the House Energy & Commerce Committee related to a hearing entitled: “Examining the Medicare Part D Medication Therapy Management Program”
- June 2015 – ACCP Comments to Senate Finance Committee Bipartisan Working Group Examining Solutions to Improve Outcomes for Medicare Patients Requiring Chronic Care.
- June 2015 – ACCP comments in response to Senate Finance Committee hearing: “A Pathway to Improving Care for Medicare Patients with Chronic Conditions.”
- January 2015 – ACCP comments in response to House Energy & Commerce Committee hearing: “A Permanent Solution to the SGR: The Time is Now.”
- July 2014 – ACCP Responds to Senate Finance Committee request for input from health care stakeholders on ideas that will enhance the availability and utility of health care data.
- July 2014 – ACCP Comments on Senate Finance Committee hearing: “Chronic Illness: Addressing Patients’ Unmet Needs.”
- June 2014 - Washington Report: Medicare Initiative Update.
- March 2014 - Special Washington Report: The PAPCC, H.R. 4190, and ACCP.
A group of pharmacy associations, chain drug stores, and other interested stakeholders launched a coalition, the Patient Access to Pharmacists’ Care Coalition (PAPCC), to advance Medicare Part B “provider status” for pharmacists.
- March 2014 – ACCP & CPNP Endorse the Better Care, Lower Cost Act (Similar letters were sent to the other original co-sponsors in the Senate and House)
- February 2014 – Medicare Initiative Update. Part B Comprehensive Medication Management Coverage vs. “Provider Status”: Examining the Difference
- December 2013 – Medicare Initiative Update: 2013 Review
- June 2013 – ACCP Comments on House Energy & Commerce Committee hearing entitled “A 21st Century Medicare: Bipartisan Proposals to Redesign the Program’s Outdated Benefit Structure.”
- June 2013 – ACCP Comments to the House Energy and Commerce Committee on the draft legislation, “Reforming the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) and Medicare Payments for Physician Services.”
- June 2013 – ACCP Report - ACCP’s Medicare Initiative Advocacy Resources Are Now Available
- April 2013 – ACCP Press Release – ACCP and CPNP to Partner On Medicare Coverage Initiative
- March 2013 - ACCP Report - President’s Column - We Meant What We Said … But Let’s Be Clear About What We Said.
- March 2013 – ACCP Board Commentary - Qualifications of Pharmacists Who Provide Direct Patient Care: Perspectives on the Need for Residency Training and Board Certification
- March 2013 - ACCP Advocacy Overview – Medicare Coverage Initiative for Direct Patient Care Services of Qualified Clinical Pharmacists
- February 2012 - ACCP Report – Washington Report - Coverage for Clinical Pharmacy Services in Medicare: Understanding the Legislative Process
- January 2013 - ACCP Report - ACCP Moves Forward with Medicare Benefit Initiative to Recognize Clinical Pharmacists’ Direct Patient Care Services
- January 2013 - ACCP Report - President’s Column - Seeking a Change in the Medicare Benefit—What it Means to ACCP
- January 2013 - Press Release - The Federal Group to Represent Clinical Pharmacy Association
- December 2012 - ACCP Report – ACCP Launches New Initiative to Seek Provider Status for Clinical Pharmacists Working in All Practice Settings
Advancing Our Medicare Initiative through Grassroots Action
Without the active participation of ACCP members in the advocacy process, our Medicare initiative cannot succeed. With more than 13,000 members, ACCP has the potential to exert considerable influence on Capitol Hill. But to realize this potential we need the active participation of all our members as grassroots advocates.
ACCP’s Step-By-Step Guide to Hosting a Visit of Elected Officials to Your Practice Setting
Hosting a visit of your elected officials to your practice is perhaps the single most important thing you can do to help lawmakers understand what team-based, patient centered clinical practice is all about – and to generate their support for recognition and payment for clinical pharmacists’ services.
A comprehensive guide to inviting a member of Congress to tour your practice site is available on our Legislative Action Center. If you would like to discuss the process of hosting a lawmaker at your practice site, please contact John McGlew at (202) 621-1820 or jmcglew@accp.com.
Support Your Profession, Support Your PAC
A well-funded Political Action Committee (PAC) will demonstrate the support within the profession for our legislative initiative and the importance ACCP members attach to moving it forward in Congress.
There are numerous PACs representing various segments of the pharmacy profession, but only ACCP-PAC is dedicated to advancing the practice of clinical pharmacy.
If each ACCP member contributes just $25, ACCP-PAC would raise $300,000. All ACCP members should consider making a donation of at least $25 to ACCP-PAC.
CLICK HERE to support your PAC today!
Contact ACCP’s Washington, DC Office
1455 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Suite 400
Washington, DC 20004-1017
202.621.1820
202.621.1819 [fax]
C. Edwin Webb, Pharm.D., M.P.H.
Associate Executive Director
ewebb@accp.com
John K. McGlew
Director, Government Affairs
jmcglew@accp.com