CDTM

STRONGLY SUPPORT
S. 2426/LaValle
A. 3933/Canestrari

PSSNY's CDTM Support Memo

The 2003 Medicare Reform Act created a new Medicare Part D prescription drug program for over 40 million seniors. The Medicare Reform Act also recognized the importance of pharmacists and medication therapy management in reducing other more costly health care services. The Medication Therapy Management (MTM) program will provide certain Medicare recipients, who meet certain need criteria, with the MTM services to help in their disease state management and medication compliance. Pharmacists have been recognized by Congress and CMS as uniquely educated and in a position to provide these services to Medicare Part D participants. New York's highly educated, highly paid pharmacy graduates are leaving this state in greater numbers each year to pursue careers in those states (more than 44) that authorize a greater scope of practice for their pharmacists.

In order for New York State's Medicare recipients to take full advantage of this program, and for pharmacists to participate and get paid by Medicare Part D, the Pharmacist Practice Act should be amended to authorize pharmacists to provide Collaborative Drug Therapy Management (CDTM) services. This would provide access to enhanced pharmacy services not only to Medicare recipients in New York, but to all New Yorkers. Failure to make this change to the Pharmacy Practice Act effectively denies New York's seniors access to these invaluable services that are already calculated as part of their premiums. Most states allow pharmacists greater responsibility than they have here in New York and consumers clearly benefit.

The Pharmacists Society of the State of New York strongly supports this legislation and asks that the Legislature pass it this session to give New York's seniors full access to Medicare Part D benefits.