Pharmacist-Friendly MTM, Workforce Provisions Included in House Reform Bill
11/9/2009
Health care reform legislation passed by the House of Representatives last week includes several measures championed by ASHP.
The Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962) creates a medication therapy management (MTM) grant program managed by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality that would enable pharmacists to provide MTM services to chronically ill patients, as part of a coordinated care plan among the patient’s caregivers. The bill also expands eligibility for loan forgiveness to pharmacy graduates who make a commitment to practice in underserved areas.
ASHP actively lobbied for the inclusion of the provisions and educated House members and staffers on the important contributions that pharmacists provide as part of the health care team. ASHP also took a lead role in the work of the coalition, Leadership for Medication Management, which lobbied lawmakers to include the medication therapy management grant provision in the bill.
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