APhA-ASP recommends that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) designates pharmacists as the preferred provider of Medication Therapy Management Services under Medicare Part D, as established by the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003.

Background Statement:
Pharmacists have been providing patient care for years without recognition as official providers by CMS. In 2003, Part D of the Medicare Modernization Act includes medication therapy management services, which now allows pharmacists to be compensated for patient care services under the Medicare program. While other healthcare professionals are still allowed under the new legislation to provide these services, we feel that pharmacists, as the medication experts, have a unique role to provide the highest level of medication therapy management services.