I need a response to the post below:
This health policy was introduced April 15, 2021 (Congress, 2021). The bill proposes prescription drug companies be required to allow any pharmacies that are in a medically underserved area, rural area, or an area where there is a healthcare shortage to be included as an in-network pharmacy (Congress, 2021). H.R.2608 would also prevent prescription drug plans from to reimburse other pharmacies at a different cost than the ones as spoken above (Congress, 2021).
Evidence provides support in favor of this proposed bill. The main purpose of pharmacists in a rural area is dispensing medications, patient safety, and education (Rural, 2021). Pharmacies in rural areas struggle to due to unfavorable insurance practices, low volume purchasing, limitation on pharmacy workforce, and slim profit margins (Rural, 2021). When a pharmacy is not close by, some patients in rural areas suffer from their medication condition being too severe to travel a long distance, lack of transportation, and/or extreme weather conditions which delays patients in obtaining medications, etc. in a timely manner. The residents in rural areas also lack the access to technological skills, telecommunications, and equipment to obtain mediations from an online pharmacy, etc. Rural populations tend to have more chronic conditions than urban populations. Support for local healthcare facilities, Immunizations and education on non-prescription drugs is also provided by pharmacists. Between 2003-2018, 1218 independent/private pharmacies in rural America closed and 630 were the only pharmacy in the area, according to the Rural Health Policy Report (Rural, 2021). In 2018, 12% of US pharmacists were working in non-metropolitan areas according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics (Rural, 2021). Rural pharmacists do not get paid as high, work longer hours, and reduced use of vacation/sick time due to lack of replacement. Recruitment and retaining rural pharmacists are difficult.
A study reported 82% of Americans reported using at least one over-the-counter medication, at least one prescription medication, and/or dietary supplement each week (Rural, n.d.). In the same study, 30% reported using more than five of these combined drugs in the same week (Rural, n.d.). Over 1,500,000 people are injured every year due to medications and the incorrect way of taking them. There is a difference between dispensing medications and pharmaceutical care. Pharmaceutical care provides an involved summary of medications, interacts, how to take the medication, if the medication is currently necessary, etc. It is individualized care and management of the patient.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report 15% of Americans, roughly 46 million, live in rural America (CDC, 2021). Rural Americans are usually sicker and more likely to die from chronic lower respiratory disease, cancer, stroke, heart disease, and unintentional injury (CDC, 2021). Unintentional deaths are fifty percent higher and alcohol/drug use is significantly higher in rural areas (CDC, 2021).
Rural areas have less resources and less opportunity or access to medical care overall, including pharmacies, medications, and pharmacy management. This bill would offer the patients better accessibility to the medications and pharmacy management which would improve the patient outcome. The need is great and will continue to affect the patients in a negative way if a solution is not found.
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