NACDS, House of Reps collaborate on importance of pharmacists in new MTM models

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) is working with the U.S. House of Representatives to support pharmacists' role in a new pilot program to advance medication therapy management (MTM) for Medicare patients.

Announced in September by the CMS Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CCMI), the pilot gives Part D basic prescription drug plans the ability to use innovative approaches when it comes to MTM by improving the quality of care, targeting services to the needs of beneficiaries, achieving increased alignment of program incentives for Part D stakeholders and reducing health care costs.

Forty-four House members, including both Republicans and Democrats, recently signed a letter addressed to the Department of Health and Human Services expressing their support for enhanced MTM models and encouraging pharmacists to partake in the initiative.

“The bipartisan support for this effort is consistent with the strong support for the MTM Empowerment Act in the current and prior Congresses, and that shows the strong interest in leveraging the expertise and accessibility of pharmacists to confront the severe health consequences and the $290 billion in annual costs that are associated with not taking medications as prescribed,” NACDS President and CEO Steven Anderson said.

In the letter, Congress members said the participation of retail community pharmacists would provide the greatest outcomes for beneficiaries.

"MTM provided by retail pharmacists improves patient health, reduces healthcare costs through lower hospitalizations and readmissions, and allows beneficiaries to be more involved in their medication management," the House members said in the letter. "Our seniors deserve the most robust and effective MTM program possible, one that includes the utilization the most trained and highly skilled providers of medication management services, local retail community pharmacists.”