NACDS RxIMPACT in-district events proliferated this week—and got results.
Educating members of Congress about issues that affect pharmacy, like provider status legislation, pays off. On May 6, Rep. John Delaney (D-MD) participated in a meeting with Ahold USA. The pharmacy team told the congressman about H.R. 592, the Pharmacy and Medically Underserved Areas Enhancement Act, which enables Medicare beneficiaries to access pharmacist-provided patient care services.
According to his staff member, Rep. Delaney was not aware of the bill and thanked the pharmacy team for bringing it to his attention. He mentioned that providers other than physicians are recognized, and felt that pharmacists should be as well. The pharmacy team followed up with the congressman’s district office to underscore the importance of the legislation. On May 15, Rep. Delaney signed on to the NACDS-backed, bipartisan legislation, which currently has 131 cosponsors.
Reports from all the events this week have been glowing, with pharmacy teams reporting on highly successful tours. Active engagement in pro-pharmacy, pro-patient issues with Congress does make a difference. Be sure to stay in the loop with the latest legislation updates and grassroots advocacy initiatives by joining the NACDS RxIMPACT LinkedIn group.
