Moving from advocacy to action in 2025
January 2025 brings not only the celebration of National Pharmacist Day on Jan. 12 but also a renewed opportunity to build momentum at the state level and potentially reintroduce the Equitable Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act (ECAPS) legislation. Supported by a bipartisan coalition of over 150 House co-sponsors, including pharmacists, Representative Diana Harshbarger (R-TN) and Representative Buddy Carter (R-GA), ECAPS also garnered backing from nearly 150 community groups. The legislation was crafted to ensure Medicare beneficiaries have access to essential pharmacist services.
Passage of ECAPS will level up the gains that pharmacists in many states have already won, while elevating practices in the remaining states. The legislation recognizes the vital role pharmacists play in serving patients across the country and mandates Medicare reimbursement for certain clinical services. By doing so, ECAPS would amplify the progress driven by the advocacy efforts of state pharmacy associations, ensuring a stronger framework for pharmacist services across the country.
[Read more: Protecting Patient Access to Pharmacies]
Thanks to the state pharmacy associations, 28 states now authorize pharmacists to directly prescribe and administer vaccines. These advancements have delivered significant benefits to the healthcare system as a whole, including:
- An estimated $4 saved for every $1 spent on pharmacist service.
- $9.64 return on investment for every $1 when pharmacists are compensated for providing various patient care services.
- Expanded access, with pharmacies offering twice the operating hours for immunizations compared to provider offices.
- During the 2023-24 flu season, pharmacies administered 37.6 million flu shots, significantly outpacing the 25.5 million delivered at provider’s offices.
Going to the local pharmacy rather than the ER could have saved hundreds of dollars for Peoria, Illinois, mom Maggi Wettstein and her 3-year-old daughter, Ryan. A recent Washington Post article detailed how Ms. Wettstein was charged $445 for a combined COVID and flu test for Ryan during an ER visit where she was not seen by a doctor. But as Wettstein points out, Walgreens sells an at-home COVID and flu combination test for $30 and can perform a higher-quality PCR test for $145.
[Read more: Addressing the decline in graduating pharmacists]
In 2025, for the sake of Ryan and her mom, as well as patients across the country, it is imperative that all health plans, public and private, cover the services pharmacists provide. Passage of ECAPS will begin to make that possible for our nation’s seniors and other Medicare-covered lives. But in the meantime, pharmacists must continue building on the momentum created by their state pharmacy associations.
With the leadership of state associations, pharmacists are poised to make 2025 a landmark year for advocacy and action. State legislatures will serve as the proving ground for healthcare innovation, driving meaningful change and expanding pharmacist impact on patient care.
Currently, 30 states authorize pharmacists to directly order and administer Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-waived tests, such as COVID-19, strep, urinary tract infections, sexually transmitted infections, flu, RSV, and more. Of the 30 states, 13 now authorize pharmacists to prescribe treatment pursuant to a CLIA-waived test.
Chipping away wins
In 2024, pharmacy policy was largely defined by national preparation for the ECAPS rollout and securing wins at the state level. The narrative in 2025 shifts to the states, where state pharmacy associations have been achieving major victories for pharmacists and building momentum for further advancements. As these state associations continue to dismantle barriers, the implementation of new state-level opportunities has heightened pressure on stakeholders.
While state pharmacy associations intensify their efforts to expand testing and treatment options, pharmacists’ anticipation is building. How can advocacy translate into tangible action? What steps are necessary to establish the infrastructure needed for new test-and-treat services? Pharmacists require support in navigating billing processes for patients and payors, investing in innovative services, and obtaining proper credentialing. Thankfully, help is available. Payor access is improving as they recognize the accessibility and cost-saving benefits pharmacies offer. Payors such as Aetna and Cigna have embraced the value of pharmacy-based care.
State pharmacy associations are essential as the opportunities to expand pharmacy services continue to evolve. They possess deep knowledge of state-specific implementation requirements and the expertise to navigate and resolve those unique issues effectively. These associations are well-versed in billing complexities, maintain relationships with Medicare administrators, and can propose tailored solutions to regulators and legislators. Their advocacy efforts produce a range of benefits for both pharmacists and patients:
- Legislative and regulatory advocacy – State associations collaborate with legislators and regulators to secure new opportunities for pharmacists, expand state scopes of practice and drive payment reform initiatives.
- Networking – Foster relationships with like-minded professionals who share the passion and bring specialized expertise, creating a stronger professional community.
- Education – Access mandatory continuing education credits to stay informed about the latest advancements in clinical services and operations.
- Access to Resources – Benefit from collaborative practice agreements, state protocols, test-and-treat authority, and tools such as guidelines, research databases and legal and regulatory resources to enhance practice and patient care.
- Strengthen the Community! – Create a lasting difference by actively contributing to the growth and success of the pharmacy profession.
Helping to support the pharmacy associations and pharmacists are sponsorship programs such as Cardinal Health’s and the McKesson-funded Amplify program. Amplify is “intended to help protect critical pharmacy services and elevate the profession by strengthening the voice of the industry,” and bridges state pharmacy associations to secure funding for advocacy for independent pharmacists and their communities.
How can pharmacies turn advocacy into action? The collective effort of every pharmacist, pharmacy technician, and student pharmacist is critical to drive meaningful change. By rallying behind state pharmacy associations and embracing a “pay it forward” mindset, pharmacists, technicians, and students can support their peers and patients through a series of actions:
- Contribute to the collective voice for positive change, quality patient care, and the future of pharmacy.
- Show up and be present for each and every patient interaction, showing patients the value that pharmacists provide.
- Join your state and national pharmacy associations and get involved through volunteering, networking, or advocacy opportunities.
Momentum to expand services continues to build in the states. But to truly achieve needed scalability of services and corresponding reimbursement will require every pharmacist to work in tandem with the state associations so that they are ready to spring into action as soon as their scope of practice is expanded.
Krystalyn Weaver, PharmD, JD, is Executive Vice President & CEO, National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations.
David Pope, PharmD, CDE, is Chief Pharmacy Officer at XiFin.
