Credentialing Pharmacists: Reflection on the Need for Advocacy, Expertise, and Outcomes
In recent years, our nation has seen pharmacist provider status legislation take off like a wildfire. Pharmacist providers are more ready than ever to make use of their advanced clinical training and patient relationships. Currently over half of the states have active Medicaid payment parity laws and about a third require provider status and/or payment by Commercial Insurance. Scope enables collaborative practice agreements and prescribing services in all states. Recognizing the growing shortages in the primary care sector, pharmacists are perfectly situated in the community to effectively manage chronic diseases and address acute needs. Why, then, are pharmacists still not commonplace as in-network providers with medical plans in our healthcare system? There are many factors that contribute to this discrepancy. Community pharmacists, unlike other healthcare provider types, have competing alternative routes for receiving payment which pose fewer barriers. Additionally, workflow i...