A Vote to Support Pharmacy Practice in Our Communities: HR1770 (Part 1)

Healthy Dose® with Anthony Bolus, Pharm.D.

A decline in drug insurance reimbursement rates and increased pharmacy fees continue to be a tough pill to swallow for ALL pharmacies across the United States. This issue has forced many pharmacies in recent months to make the difficult decision to limit services or close their doors – leaving a negative impact that is felt by patients both far and wide, as it hinders the access individuals have to medications and other healthcare services. Patients in rural areas are particularly affected by the loss of pharmacies, as there may not be another place to obtain healthcare services anywhere close by; this not only creates pharmacy deserts but can also limit one’s overall access to medical care. Today, we will be having a special two-part series of the show, introducing everyone to US House Bill HR 1770, also known as the Equitable Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act. In this unique two-episode show, we will feature a different member of the United States House of Representatives in each episode. In our first episode, we will sit down with US Congresswoman Terri Sewell representing the 7th district in the state of Alabama for the Democratic party to see her thoughts on the bill, and for our second episode, we will interview US Congressman Robert Aderholt representing the 4th district of Alabama for the Republican party to do the same. The same set of questions were used for both representatives to gain their insight on this bipartisan bill to see what can be done to try and help community pharmacy practice in the future.