Emergency Action is Necessary to Provide Payment for Pharmacist Prescribing of Paxlovid

As you likely know, the FDA recently updated the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), which authorizes pharmacists to prescribe the oral antiviral, Paxlovid.

While updating the EUA was a huge step forward, there is no current federal policy providing coverage for the associated clinical services required for pharmacist prescribing, such as consultation to determine patient eligibility, assessing renal and hepatic function, obtaining a comprehensive list of medications (prescribed and non-prescribed), and assessing for potential drug interaction services. Absent coverage for the pharmacist’s time to conduct patient eligibility and appropriateness, FDA’s authorization will be for naught to reduce our nation’s health inequities in accessing this lifesaving medication. These services, which take roughly 15-30 minutes per patient, are reimbursed for every other prescriber, but not for pharmacists. It is inequitable, unfair, and unreasonable to think that these services can be provided for free by pharmacists.

Use our pre-written, editable advocacy alert to ask your U.S. Representative to contact the Department of Health and Human Services and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to identify a payment pathway to reimburse pharmacists for their services required to prescribe Paxlovid.

The form will automatically populate with the draft letter text and your elected officials based on your address.

Many thanks for your engagement in our advocacy efforts. Your participation helps advance pharmacy for the betterment of the profession, your patients, and your communities!