ALEXANDRIA, Va. — With medical at home pharmacy services being needed now more than ever due to the coronavirus public health emergency, long-term care pharmacy stakeholders are urging the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to formally recognize and promote these services to help improve value-based patient care, increase savings, and ensure pharmacy providers are fairly and properly reimbursed. This is the latest in ongoing medical at home advocacy efforts pursued by the National Community Pharmacists Association’s Long-Term Care Division and other LTC pharmacy stakeholder organizations.

In the July 2 letter reiterating their ask to CMS, the organizations write, “demand for at-home care was on the rise before the deadly coronavirus outbreaks in LTC facilities across the country. Looking beyond the pandemic, demand will only continue increasing as seniors who need specialized care continue to socially distance due to their increased risks and vulnerabilities. To meaningfully address the increasing aging population with long-term and complex health care needs and who require assistance with activities of daily living, especially during the COVID-19 crisis, we urge CMS to recognize medical at home pharmacy services and issue guidance formally recognizing these services at the same level as other LTC services.”

Click here to read the letter.