Provider Status for Pharmacists

Legislative and Regulatory Position Statement:

AMCP supports the recognition of pharmacists as providers. When pharmacists are recognized as provider members of the health care team, patient outcomes improve, and patients report higher rates of satisfaction while overall health care costs are reduced. Recognized provider status would allow pharmacists to be reimbursed for providing health care services to patients. In a survey conducted in 2023 commissioned by Wolters Kluwer Health, 58% of Americans agreed that they are more likely to seek non-emergency medical care from a pharmacist.¹

With the high level of education and training licensed pharmacists receive and as the most patient-accessible member of the health care team, AMCP firmly supports recognizing pharmacists as providers as imperative and necessary. The education pharmacists receive provides the knowledge necessary to be experts in medication use and evidence‐based practices. Most states permit pharmacists to enter into collaborative practice agreements with prescribers, which grant pharmacists authority to manage a patient’s drug therapy. Years of published literature provides significant evidence of the benefits gained by allowing pharmacists to more fully utilize their expertise within clinical settings as part of the health care team. Pharmacists can play a vital role in promoting public health in that they act as immunizers, improve vaccine-related health literacy, and counter vaccine hesitancy.²

These benefits include, but are not limited to, immunization delivery, reduction in overall health care costs, improved patient outcomes, decreased number of drug-related adverse events, improved access to primary care services, and increased patient satisfaction. The pharmacist‐provided services supported by the current literature include preventative care services, wellness screenings, chronic disease management, medication therapy management, direct patient care activities and others. Many of these services are currently covered if delivered by a recognized provider.

Currently, the following providers are recognized in the Social Security Act: physicians, audiologists, certified nurse midwives, certified registered nurse practitioners, certified registered nurse anesthetists, physicians’ assistance, licensed clinical psychologists, licensed clinical social workers, physical and occupational therapists, and registered dieticians/nutrition professional.³ Being recognized as providers under the Social Security Act would provide the opportunity for pharmacists to bill for certain patient care services under Medicare Part B.

It is AMCP’s stance that pharmacists’ recognition as providers is long overdue. Provider status will allow pharmacists to effectively work with physicians and other health care providers to optimize medication therapy and deliver ideal patient‐centered care. Through the delivery of direct patient care, pharmacists, in collaboration with physicians, nurses, patients, and other health care providers can offer ongoing, comprehensive assessment and management of drug therapy that is patient‐centered, improves quality of care, produces desired patient outcomes, and reduces overall costs of care.

AMCP strongly believes the inclusion of pharmacists as health care providers is critical to effectively work as part of health care teams to address the primary health care needs of patients.

See also: 

AMCP Welcomes Introduction of the Equitable Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act 

AMCP Legislative and Regulatory Position series: https://www.amcp.org/policy-advocacy/policy-resource-center/legislative-regulatory-positions 

¹ Levy, S. (2023, May 23). Survey: 58% of Americans are likely first to seek non-emergency health care at pharmacies. Drug Store News. https://drugstorenews.com/survey-58-americans-likely-first-seek-non-emergency-health-care-pharmacies 

² Le, L.M., Veettil, S.K., Donaldson, D., et al. (2022). The impact of pharmacist involvement on immunization uptake and other outcomes: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of the American Pharmacists Association, 62(5), 1499-1513. https://www.japha.org/article/S1544-3191(22)00222-9/fulltext 

³ Section 1861(s) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(s)). Available at http://uscode.house.gov/quicksearch/get.plx?title=42§ion=1395x

Revised by AMCP Board of Directors, October 2024 

Revised by AMCP Board of Directors, February 2022

View All Positions