ECAPS Watch

Kevin Houlihan sits down with Walgreens Chief Pharmacy Officer Rick Gates to discuss the evolving role of pharmacies in expanding access to care. They explore how reimbursement, federal reform, and industry alignment will shape the future of clinical services in pharmacy. The conversation covers why pharmacists are uniquely positioned to fill healthcare gaps, especially in rural communities, and how the profession can move beyond dispensing medications toward preventative and care-based services. Rick also shares practical advice for pharmacy leaders on advocating for reform, negotiating reimbursement, and advancing the profession together.

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In this episode of the ECAPS Watch Podcast, Kevin Houlihan sits down with Mike Wysong, CEO of CARE Pharmacies Cooperative, to explore the future of pharmacy care and the momentum behind ECAPS legislation. Mike shares firsthand insights on bipartisan support, lessons from COVID, and why pharmacists are uniquely positioned to close gaps in care. The conversation highlights the power of showing up, the importance of state-level action, and how pharmacy can help reshape access, trust, and sustainability across the healthcare system.

Learn how to be reimbursement-ready on day 1 for ECAPS at our knowledge hub for pharmacy industry...

In this special mailbag episode of the ECAPS Watch Podcast, Kevin Houlihan is joined by Laura Brown and Shannon Brenkendorff to discuss what they are hearing from pharmacies across the country. The conversation covers operational challenges, consumer expectations, billing and documentation hurdles, and real-world success stories showing how pharmacy-based care is expanding access. From point-of-care testing to community outreach, the team shares practical insights on why the time is now for pharmacies to step into a larger clinical role.

Learn how to be reimbursement-ready on day 1 for ECAPS at our knowledge hub for pharmacy industry professionals: https...

Congressman Scott Peters joins the ECAPS Watch Podcast to discuss his bipartisan support for the ECAPS legislation and the role pharmacies play in expanding healthcare access. He shares why pharmacies are a critical first point of care, especially for Medicare patients, rural communities, and time-sensitive treatments. Drawing on lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and the growth of telehealth, Peters explains how increasing access through pharmacies can improve affordability, lower healthcare costs, and meet patients where they are.

Learn how to be reimbursement-ready on day 1 for ECAPS at our knowledge hub for pharmacy industry professionals: https://www.workflowservices...

Kevin Houlihan sits down with Dr. Emily Zadvorny, CEO of the Colorado Pharmacist Society, to unpack how Colorado became a national model for expanding pharmacist scope and securing payment for clinical services. They explore legislative wins, challenges in provider status, the real-world impact on patient access, and why ECAPS could transform care nationwide. Emily shares powerful stories from rural and urban communities, the ripple effects of pharmacist-led services, and what advocates can do now to help move federal legislation across the finish line.

Learn how to be reimbursement-ready on day 1 for ECAPS at our...

In this episode of ECAPS Watch, host Kevin Houlihan interviews Congressman Marc Veasey from Texas's 33rd Congressional District. Representative Veasey, who serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee and represents a low-income district dealing with healthcare access issues, has co-sponsored all three versions of the ECAPS bills since the original was introduced by former Congressman Ron Kind in 2023. Congressman Veasey explains that the legislation represents a rare bipartisan healthcare initiative that could save costs while improving patient outcomes. Learn how to be reimbursement-ready on day 1 for ECAPS at our knowledge hub for pharmacy industry professionals: https://www.workflowservices.com...

In this episode of ECAPS Watch, CEO Kevin Houlihan interviews Dr. Lisa Faast, founder of DiversifyRx and Pharmacy Badass University. Dr. Faast shares her expertise on helping independent pharmacies evolve and thrive through strategic change and clinical service expansion. She discusses how ECAPS legislation represents a crucial step toward pharmacist provider recognition, addresses common barriers pharmacy owners face when implementing new services, and introduces her "sandwich approach" for delegating clinical tasks effectively. Dr. Faast emphasizes the importance of continuous adaptation, explaining that practicing pharmacy like you did five years ago is the quickest way to kill your business in...

Former Wisconsin Representative Ron Kind, the original architect of the ECAPS legislation, sits down with Kevin. Former Rep. Kind shares the inspiring story behind this groundbreaking legislation that expands pharmacists' scope of services under Medicare reimbursement. From his travels through rural Wisconsin witnessing pharmacists as the first line of healthcare, to the bipartisan support now growing across Congress, Kind discusses how this bill could transform healthcare delivery and reduce costs. With nearly 100 congressional supporters, the ECAPS legislation represents a rare opportunity for meaningful healthcare reform that both parties can embrace.

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In this episode of ECAPS Watch, Chair of the Oregon State Pharmacy Association, Amanda Meeker, PharmD, shares her dual perspective from both the payer and advocacy sides of healthcare legislation. She discusses how pharmacists demonstrated their provider capabilities during COVID by testing patients and prescribing Paxlovid, and explains why expanding these services to other conditions like flu and RSV makes sense. Amanda emphasizes the critical importance of gaining more co-sponsors for ECAPS legislation, as leadership won't bring bills to the floor without sufficient support. She also provides key advice for pharmacists preparing for medical billing, stressing the need for...

In this episode of ECAPS Watch, Summer Kerley shares a compelling real-world example of expanded pharmacy care in action. While providing vaccines at a local pharmacy, she encountered a patient with UTI symptoms who needed additional care beyond immunizations. This story highlights how pharmacists serve as accessible healthcare touchpoints, helping patients navigate their care needs and connect with appropriate treatment options. The conversation explores how legislative changes like ECAPS can enhance pharmacists' ability to provide comprehensive care, building on proven successes from COVID-19 vaccine distribution where pharmacists administered over 270 million vaccines and helped prevent millions of hospitalizations and deaths...

In this episode of ECAPS Watch, CEO Kevin Houlihan speaks with Dr. Nancy Gagliano, a physician with extensive experience at Mass General Hospital, NIH, and CVS MinuteClinic. They explore how pharmacies are evolving beyond traditional prescription filling to deliver comprehensive healthcare services like testing and treatment. Nancy discusses the transformative potential of the ECAPS program, which enables Medicare patients to receive test-to-treat care at pharmacies for conditions like COVID and flu. The conversation highlights how this expansion addresses healthcare access challenges, particularly in underserved areas, while requiring new infrastructure for medical billing and documentation that differs significantly from traditional...

In this episode of the ECAPS Watch podcast, Kevin talks with James Allen, Manager of Clinical Performance at AlignRX, about the expanding role of pharmacy teams in healthcare delivery. James shares his unique perspective combining pharmacy and public health backgrounds, drawing from childhood experiences in his father's rural Oklahoma pharmacy. They discuss how pharmacies serve as healthcare "air traffic control," coordinating care between providers and connecting with patients beyond traditional dispensing. The conversation explores how ECAPS can help pharmacies document clinical services and provide comprehensive patient care, particularly in underserved rural communities where pharmacies often fill critical healthcare gaps.<...

In this episode of ECAPs Watch, host Kevin Houlihan sits down with pharmacy expert Zach Rosko, PharmD, BCPS, to explore how the ECAPs legislation could revolutionize healthcare access for Medicare patients. Zach breaks down the current reality where pharmacists must screen patients by insurance type before providing clinical services, explaining how Medicare recognition would finally allow comprehensive care regardless of coverage. Drawing from pharmacy's rich history as community healthcare providers, Zach discusses the evolution from apothecary days to modern clinical services, emphasizing how COVID exposed the convenience and accessibility of pharmacy-based care. He offers practical insights on medical billing...