ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE

To advocate for access to affordable healthcare for all, including coverage of medications and related pharmacist patient care services; further,

To advocate that the full range of available methods be used to (1) ensure the provision of appropriate, safe, and cost-effective healthcare services; (2) optimize treatment outcomes; (3) minimize overall costs without compromising quality; and (4) ensure patient choice of healthcare providers, including pharmacy services; further,

To advocate that healthcare payers seek to optimize continuity of care in their design of benefit plans.

Rationale

This policy expresses ASHP’s stance on access to healthcare in the United States. The policy emanated from ASHP policies dealing with affordability and accessibility of pharmaceuticals. ASHP believes that it is important to address the larger issue of healthcare access, particularly due to the impact of the cost of medications on the nation’s overall healthcare budget as well as pharmacy budgets in hospitals and health systems. The cost of healthcare is high throughout the United States, for people across all income groups and backgrounds, but even more so for vulnerable and underserved populations. Healthcare should be affordable, but also sufficient to ensure patient access to services.