Dear Speaker Johnson, Majority Leader Schumer, Minority Leader McConnell, and Minority Leader Jeffries:
The undersigned physician organizations representing national and state medical societies write in opposition to H.R. 1770/S. 2477, the “Equitable Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act.” This bill would inappropriately allow pharmacists to perform services that would otherwise be covered if they had been furnished by a physician, test and treat patients for certain illnesses (including illnesses that address a public health need or relate to a public health emergency) and expand Medicare payment for pharmacists in limited but significant ways.
Our organizations strongly support the team approach to patient care, with each member of the team serving in a clearly defined role as determined by his or her education and training. While we greatly value the contribution of pharmacists to the physician-led care team and recognize that pharmacists are well-trained in activities like dispensing pharmaceuticals, advising patients on the use of medications, and understanding drug-drug interactions, pharmacists’ training does not include diagnosing patients or formulating a plan of treatment. Furthermore, their training is substantially less extensive than that of physicians, who undergo four years of medical school, three to seven years of residency training, and 10,000-16,000 hours of clinical training that is required of physicians. In contrast, pharmacists are required to complete only four years of education, no residency, and 1,740 hours of clinical training.
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