PHARMACY SERVICES FOR UNINSURED AND UNDERINSURED PATIENTS

To support the principle that all patients have the right to receive care from pharmacists; further,

To declare that pharmacists should play a leadership role in ensuring access to pharmacists' services for indigent or low-income patients who lack insurance coverage or are underinsured; further,

To encourage the pharmacy workforce to work with organizational patient assistance, case management, and care coordination teams to ensure seamless patient care transitions for all patients, including uninsured and underinsured patients; further,

To advocate better collaboration among health systems, community health centers, state and county health departments, and the federal Health Resources and Services Administration in identifying and addressing the needs of indigent and low-income patients who lack insurance coverage or are underinsured.

Rationale

Consistent with ASHP Practice Advancement Initiative 2030 themes for change, patients must have access to: 1) a pharmacist in all settings of care; 2) a collaborative, interprofessional care team that coordinates seamless, convenient, and cost-effective care transitions; and 3) a collaborative, interprofessional care team that identifies, assesses, and resolves barriers to medication access, adherence, and health literacy. These principles apply even for patients who lack insurance coverage or are underinsured. Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians should take leadership roles in ensuring access to pharmacists' services for these patients, working with organizational patient assistance, case management, and care coordination teams to ensure seamless patient care transitions for this vulnerable population. Further, community health centers, state and county health departments, and the federal Health Resources and Services Administration should collaborate in identifying and addressing the needs of these patients.