Senators Roberts & Shaheen Introduce Bill to Expand Medication Therapy Management for Seniors

Press Release

U.S. Senators Pat Roberts R-Kan. and Jeanne Shaheen D-N.H. today introduced a bill to expand access to medication therapy management (MTM), a service provided by pharmacists to ensure seniors who are enrolled in Medicare are taking medications appropriately.

"We have recognized the value of pharmacists in the health system for many years. They are especially valuable for our Kansas communities and are sometimes the only health provider in our rural towns." said Sen. Roberts. "MTM is an important tool in the pharmacists' tool box for many patients but especially for those suffering from chronic conditions. The Medication Therapy Management Empowerment Act gives patients access to valuable counseling and management for their conditions, and takes the essential steps to guarantee what we already know: that MTM will save the system money while providing higher quality care for patients. I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation."

"Our bipartisan bill has the potential to improve care for seniors who need it the most while also reducing healthcare costs for our system as a whole," Senator Shaheen said. "Providing seniors with better access to counseling when it comes to the safe and proper use of their medication should be a matter of commonsense. It will make sure seniors are not only taking their medications properly but does so in a way that lowers healthcare costs."

Medication therapy management (MTM) is a professional service offered by pharmacists and other providers to help ensure medications are taken appropriately to improve health, reduce the risk of adverse events, and help control healthcare costs. The MTM benefit was included in the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 for Medicare beneficiaries by requiring MTM services for patients suffering from multiple chronic conditions or diseases.

The bill, the Medication Therapy Management Empower Act, will allow beneficiaries with a single chronic condition of cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hyperlipidemia or diabetes to have access to MTM services, as studies have shown these disease states will see the greatest benefit from MTM.

According to a 2013 study by the National Association of Community Pharmacists on Medication Adherence in America, non-adherence to medications increases costs to our health system by $290 billion annually.

U.S. Senators Mark Kirk R-Ill. and Sherrod Brown D-Ohio are original cosponsors of the legislation.

Senator Roberts is a member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education Labor and Pensions and the Senate Committee on Finance which has jurisdiction over Medicare.

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