IPA, APhA, ASHP & NCPA Meet with Senator Grassley to Discuss Access to Pharmacist Services

• By: IPA
• On: 11/29/2022 17:53:28
• In: Legislative Updates
• Comments: 0

This afternoon, Kate Gainer, CEO of the Iowa Pharmacy Association (IPA), joined the American Pharmacists Association's (APhA) CEO, Ilisa Bernstein, and Senior Lobbyist, Doug Huynh, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists' (ASHP) Vice President of Government Relations, Tom Kraus, and COO and Senior Vice President, Kasey Thompson, as well as Doug Hoey, CEO of the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA), to meet with Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley to discuss the Equitable Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act (ECAPS). This group met with Senator Grassley to discuss components of the policy, fiscal impacts, its importance to pharmacists across the country, specifically in rural and underserved areas, as well as the pathway to pass legislation before the end of the year.

The COVID-19 pandemic jeopardized reliable access to care for patients across the state of Iowa and country. Pharmacists stepped up to fill this gap. Through temporary changes in law, such as federal contracts authorizing pharmacists to administer COVID-19 testing and other measures that expanded access to care, patients continued to receive critical services. ECAPS protects these inroads by creating a direct reimbursement mechanism to pay for pharmacists' services provided to Medicare beneficiaries and maintains the authorities provided to pharmacists under temporary COVID-19 mechanisms and state actions to test, vaccinate, and most importantly, treat.

This legislation protects the country from future pandemics and current infectious diseases, including influenza, RSV, COVID-19, and strep. Help advocate for this crucial legislation by contacting your member of Congress.