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A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 1 of Title 32.1 an article numbered 3.1, consisting of sections numbered
32.1-23.8
through
32.1-23.13
, relating to Independent Pharmacy Access and Resilience Pilot Program; report; sunset.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding in Chapter 1 of Title 32.1 an article numbered 3.1, consisting of sections numbered
32.1-23.8
through
32.1-23.13
, as follows:
Article
3.1
.
Independent Pharmacy Access and Resilience Pilot Program
.
§
32.1-23
.
8
.
Independent Pharmacy Access and Resilience Pilot Program
established
; purpose.
There is hereby created in the Department the Independent Pharmacy Access and Resilience Pilot Program (the Program)
. The purpose of the Program is
to strengthen and stabilize access to pharmacy services in medically underserved communities and communities at heightened risk of pharmacy closure. The Program shall support development of sustainable pharmacy infrastructure, expansion of clinical services within pharmacists' scope of practice, partnership development, and implementation of technology that improves access, efficiency, and care coordination.
§
32.1-23
.
9
.
Pre-implementation
phase:
preliminary
identification
of communities,
and planning
; report
.
A.
During
f
iscal
y
ear 2026
–
2027,
using currently existing appropriated funds,
the Department shall engage in
the
identification of
communities
with limited pharmacy access, including those that meet
one or more of the following criteria:
1.
Is a w
hole-locality pharmacy desert
status;
2.
Is a c
ensus tract-level pharmacy
desert or has a medically underserved designation;
3. Has a high concentration of households b
elow 200 percent of the federal poverty level;
4. Has a high
prevalence
of ambulatory care-sensitive conditions;
5. Has a population with a high Medicaid or
Family Access to Medical Insurance Security plan
enrollment;
6.
Experiences workforce shortages or pharmacy staffing instab
i
lity and turnover;
7. Faces significant tra
nsportatio
n or other barriers to safely accessing pharmacy services; or
8.
Sees patterns of historical disinvestment or inequitable health outcomes.
B. During this phase, the Department shall consult with relevant agencies, schools of pharmacy, and community health
partners
to assess risks of pharmacy closure
s
and identify feasible interventions to avoid such closures.
The Department shall develop a planning report describing identified communities, proposed interventions, selection criteria, and recommendations for
Program implementation
, as described in §
32.1-23.11
.
§
32.1-23.1
0
. P
rogram
implementation
; contingent upon funding
; participation limit
.
A. The
implementation
of the Program is contingent upon (i) express
appropriation
by the General
Assembly
or (ii) written certification by the Commission that sufficient nongeneral funds have been secured for such implementation.
The Department shall pursue nongeneral funds before requesting general fu
nd support.
Participation in the Program is limited to no more than 12 independent pharmacies.
Such participation is voluntary and shall not guarantee future funding.
B.
Support for a Program
participant
may include
(i) technical
assistance
for clinical service expansion; (ii) workflow optimization; (iii) revenue cycle support; (iv) technology integration; (v) limited and capped
stabilization
grants; (vi)
partnership
development with hea
lth systems
,
federally
qualified health centers, health departments, or academic partners; (vii) assistance in accessing alternative funding streams; or (viii) any other activity consistent with the purposes of this article.
The Department may contract with academic institutions, community health organizations, professional associations, nonprofit entities, and qualified evaluators to support Program administration and technical assistance.
§
32.1-23.1
1
. Program selection criteria.
Priority for Program participation shall be given to independent pharmacies that:
1. Are independently
owned and not a part of a national chain;
2. Serve medically underserved communities or communities experiencing barriers to
pharmacy
access;
3. Serve populations
that are economically vulnerable;
4. Demonstrate workforce strain or risk of closure;
5. Serve populations with high burdens of chronic
conditions requiring consistent medication access;
6. Participate in Medicaid, the Family Access to Medical Insurance Security plan, Medicare Part D, or
any other safety-net program;
7. Provide or demonstrate capacity to expand clinical services; and
8. Agree to participate in
and comply with evaluation and data-reporting requirements.
§
32.1-23.1
2
. Evaluation
criteria; report
.
A. The Department shall evaluate:
1. Access to pharmacy services;
2. Medication adherence;
3.
Emergency department utilization for ambulatory care-sensitive conditions;
4. Avoidable hospitalizations associated with gaps in medication access;
5. Access to vaccinations and preventive services;
6. Pharmacy workforce
stability;
7. Potential cost avoidance for public health programs; and
8. Development of susta
inable clinical, technological, or partnership infrastructure.
B.
The Department shall submit to the Governor and the General
Assembly an interim report with such evaluation data no later than November 1, 2028
,
and a final comprehensive evaluation no later than November 1, 2029.
Such reports shall be used to determine whether to continue, modify, expand, or terminate the Program.
§
32.1-23.1
3
. Nongeneral
fund authority; limitations.
The Department may seek, accept, and expend federal grants, charitable contributions, and other nongeneral fund resources to support the Program. Nothi
ng in this article shall be construed to (i) create an entitlement to funding; (ii) establish mandates on insurers or pharmacy benefit managers; (iii) require general fund appropriations; (iv) modify licensure authority; or (v) create liability for pharmacy closures.
2. That the provisions of this act shall expire on July 1, 2030.