NACDS is welcoming more than 400 advocates, representing 47 states, to Washington, D.C., to participate in the 9th annual NACDS RxIMPACT Day on Capitol Hill March 14-15. Can’t make it to D.C.? No problem. You can still urge Congress to recognize the value of pharmacy by participating in NACDS RxIMPACT’s biggest letter-writing campaign ever to promote provider status legislation (H.R. 592/ S.109).
Just because you can’t be in D.C. in person doesn’t mean you can’t still be with pharmacy advocates urging Congress to recognize the value of pharmacy. As Congress considers reforming the Affordable Care Act (ACA), pharmacy services in Medicaid and Medicare should be protected to ensure beneficiary access to quality and lower-cost care. Community pharmacy can play a key role in ensuring the success of efforts to reform these programs in helping guarantee access to affordable, high-quality care. Enhancing access to patient care in communities, through measures like provider status, could be especially beneficial, particularly for patients with chronic conditions.
Advocates are already excited to sign on and spread the word. Dave Rueter of Thrifty White responded to the email alert to participate. He wrote, “Thanks for making this so easy. I will send this out to our store teams on Monday morning [March 13] and encourage them to participate.” Larry Wagenknecht, chief executive officer of the Michigan Pharmacists Association, wrote, “I’m sorry that I am not physically able to be there this year, but we have several members (including a couple of really excited students) that we know are going to be there. We will be doing our part back here in Michigan!”
It’s still possible to make a difference back in your own state. Visit the NACDS RxIMPACT website, and by typing in your name and address only once, you will send a personalized letter to your elected lawmakers in Washington. Recently, NACDS RxIMPACT mobilized advocates to send nearly 5,000 letters to promote provider status legislation.
Note: To date, eleven NACDS member companies have already indicated they are at the ready to distribute the NACDS RxIMPACT Action Alert on March 13: Ahold USA, Brookshire Brothers, Inc. Brookshire Grocery Co., Discount Drug Mart, Inc., H-E-B, Kinney Drugs, Inc., Balls Food Stores, Quick Check Corporation, Southeastern Grocers LLC, SUPERVALU Inc., and Thrifty White Pharmacy.
Also, nearly 10 state pharmacy associations have committed to also issuing the NACDS RxIMPACT Action Alert on Monday morning to engage their memberships: Maine Pharmacy Association, Michigan Pharmacists Association, Minnesota Pharmacists Association, Missouri Pharmacy Association, Oklahoma Pharmacists Association, Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association, South Carolina Pharmacy Association, Tennessee Pharmacists Association, and the Utah Pharmacists Association.
