The House Democratic Leadership released the House's merged health care reform proposal, the Affordable Health Care for America Act (H.R. 3962). APhA is currently analyzing the 1,990 page bill, but from our brief review, we can confirm that many pharmacy-related provisions have been secure into this bill, such as provisions that:

• Create PBM transparency requirements (p. 123)
• Waive Medicare DMEPOS surety bond requirements for certain pharmacies (p. 430)
• Waive Medicare DMEPOS accreditation for certain pharmacies (p. 432)
• Give hospitals incentives to reduce hospital readmissions that include transitional care services, which may include ensuring patients receive a summary of care and medication orders upon discharge.
• Eliminate the Medicare Part D coverage gap beginning in 2011 (p. 550)
• Discount for Medicare Part D beneficiaries within the coverage gap for only brand drugs (p. 571)
• Repeal the Medicare 90 day deadline for long term care pharmacy submission of claims (p. 578)
• Require Medicare Part D plan sponsors to have in place utilization management techniques to reduce the quantity of Part D drugs dispensed to beneficiaries in long-term care facilities (p. 584)
• Authorize payment for a community-based medical home model that employs health professionals that assist the primary care providers in chronic care management activities, such as medication therapy management services (p. 681)
• Establish an independence at home demonstration program, which defines medical practice as a team of health care providers that includes pharmacists (p. 718)
• Establish greater transparency related to "gifts" from manufacturers/distributors to "covered recipients," the definition of which includes pharmacies and pharmacists (p. 889)
• "Fix" AMP reimbursement in the Medicaid program (p. 1092)
• Establish a loan repayment program for frontline health care providers that include pharmacists (p. 1224)
• Conduct an MTM grant program (p. 1412)
• Direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to convene an institute of medicine conference on pain, directs the National Institutes of Health to undertake research initiatives associated with the causes of and potential treatments of pain, and directs the Secretary to establish a national pain care education and awareness campaign (p. 1491)

A general overview of the entire bill and the top line changes are available. Currently, reports indicate that the House is expected to move on this bill as early as next week, and it is unclear whether there will be any time allotted on the House floor for amendments.