Long before the 2020 election, it was clear that, regardless of the outcome, the subsequent inauguration would be a far cry from the traditional celebration of American democracy. The COVID-19 pandemic dictated that Washington would not play host to the large crowds and elaborate parties typically associated with a presidential inauguration.

The national debate over the outcome of the election that played out between November 3 and January 20 added to the unusual and tense circumstances in which Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th president, witnessed by a bipartisan assembly of national leaders who came together in a powerful display of unity at a time of great global turbulence.

Nevertheless, the work of ACCP’s Washington office to advance the integration of and payment for pharmacists’ services within public and commercial payment models remains largely unaltered in response to the changes in administration and congressional leadership. Moreover, even under normal circumstances, a presidential inauguration would not meaningfully affect the work of ACCP’s Washington office, given that its advocacy work is built on a longer-term vision aligned with the College’s strategic plan. (ACCP-PAC is only modestly funded compared with some of our deep-pocketed counterparts, so we wouldn’t expect to receive invitations to the exclusive, A-list inaugural celebrations!)

National health-related issues – such as drug pricing, opioid and substance use disorders, or precision medicine – would be targeted as priorities by any incoming administration, regardless of politics or party affiliation. In addition, despite all the political rhetoric, the nation’s ongoing response to the COVID crisis will likely dominate the policy landscape in Washington for the duration of the 117th Congress at minimum, regardless of the personal priorities of the incoming leaders.

With a proposed FY 2021 budget authority of $1.4 trillion, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) is a sprawling bureaucracy that directly affects the lives of almost every American. Yet the budget number alone does not fully capture the department’s complexity. Mandatory spending programs (primarily paying for health coverage for Medicare and Medicaid through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services [CMS]) account for $1.3 trillion of that annual spending. This leaves a comparatively slim discretionary budget of $100 billion spread across 11 separate operating divisions, including:

• Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
• Indian Health Service (IHS)
• National Institutes of Health (NIH)
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

Drilling deep into CMS, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (the “Innovation Center,” or CMMI) was established under the Affordable Care Act to test the development of innovative health care payment and service delivery models.

ACCP is already working closely with partners within CPC+ – a national advanced primary care medical home model launched through CMMI that aims to strengthen primary care through regionally based multi-payer payment reform and care delivery transformation. Certain CPC+ primary care practice tracks require the inclusion of comprehensive medication management (CMM). Throughout 2021, ACCP will support this initiative and help build on this important work through targeted expansion in key regions.

With the 117th Congress now under way, beyond the partisan fallout over the last days of the previous administration, work has begun on a series of hearings into key nominations for Biden’s proposed cabinet.

ACCP’s outreach to incoming congressional leaders is already underway starting with an assessment of alignment between the health priorities set by key committees of jurisdiction and the College’s long-standing commitment to integrating clinical pharmacists’ services into evolving team-based payment and delivery structures.

Recruitment is now open for the 2021–2022 ACCP/VCU/ASHP Congressional Healthcare Policy Fellow Program. Current Fellow, Nimit Jindal, Pharm.D., is serving on the Majority Staff of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP). The previous Fellow, Kyle Robb, Pharm.D., BCPS, also served in this office under the Minority Staff.

Launch of the Fellow program is among the ACCP Washington office’s proudest accomplishments. The Government and Professional Affairs staff at ACCP are grateful to Jindal, Robb, and all who served before them for their leadership on behalf of the profession.

For additional details about this prestigious program click here.