US Proposal To Pay Pharmacists For Drug Services

Proposed US legislation would, for the first time, pay pharmacists for the drug care services they provide to Medicare beneficiaries.

Legislation introduced by Representative Frank Pallone before the July 4 break would pay druggists for certain critical services to Medicare patients, including consultation with a physician that results in changes in a patient's drug regimen, counseling to improve patient compliance with a regimen prescribed for certain high-risk diseases, and administration of flu and other vaccines where authorized by state law. The Secretary of Health and Human Services would be required to develop a fee schedule for pharmaceutical care services, based on time required for services, level of risk of particular drugs and differences in the health statute of patients receiving services.

Inappropriate Drug Use "Costs $ Billions Each Year" The American Pharmaceutical Association has endorsed the legislation, noting that inappropriate use of prescription drugs, particularly among older Americans, is well documented. Recent government reports and articles in medical journals have shown that these problems have harmed tens of thousands of patients, and cost Americans billions of dollars needlessly every year.