Focus of Community Pharmacy

Patient Access to Pharmacy Act (PAPA)

CPANYS strongly supports this bill to require pharmacy benefit mangers (PBMs) in the commercial insurance market to, at a minimum, pay outpatient pharmacies at the State Medicaid rate which is based on pharmacy acquisition cost pursuant to invoice pricing and pharmacy surveys. This bill is critical to address the self-serving practice by PBMs of paying pharmacies at below their costs to procure and dispense prescription medications.  A5882B/S5939B was passed by the State Senate prior to the 2025 adjournment.  The bill remains in the Assembly Insurance committee and is a critical priority for passage when the 2026 legislative session in NYS reconvenes in order to ensure continued patient access to their local community pharmacy.

Expanded Role & Services by Pharmacy Technicians

CPANYS supports A678A/S3236A to expand the settings where “registered pharmacy technicians” may practice to include all pharmacies.  NYS law currently restricts the practice of “registered pharmacy technicians” to Article 28 (hospital pharmacy settings). During the 2025 NYS legislative session, this bill was passed by both houses.  The Governor will need to act on it before the end of the calendar year and we strongly urge Governor Hochul to sign it into law.

CPANYS is also supportive of A5152A/S7025A which expands the pharmacy settings where “registered pharmacy technicians” may practice and allows them to give the same vaccines certified pharmacists may administer under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist.  This bill remained on the Senate floor and in the Assembly Higher Education committee when the 2025 session ended.  We urge the Legislature to pass the bill when the new session begins in January 2026.

Expanded Access to CLIA-Waived Testing

CPANYS supports legislation to expand the number of CLIA-waived tests that licensed pharmacists may order and administer to include RSV, Group A Strep, A1C, Hepatitis C and HIV. This makes such testing more accessible to patients and builds on the existing law which authorizing pharmacists to order and administer tests for Influenza and COVID-19.  The Senate passed the CLIA-waived testing bill during the 2025 session, but it remained in the Assembly Higher Education Committee when session adjourned.

Limited Treatment Initiation

The Treatment Initiation bill would expediate patient initiation of needed treatment by enabling a licensed pharmacist to dispense an initial prescription for recommended treatment pursuant to a standing order from the NYS Department of Health when a patient tests positive for influenza, COVID-19 or Group A Strep infection.  The bill remained in the Senate and Assembly Higher Education committees when the 2025 session adjourned.

OMIG Audit Reform

CPANYS supports legislation to put necessary guardrails in place for provider audits by the Office of the Medicaid Inspector General (OMIG).  Current auditing practices are highly punitive in cases where there is no fraud, waste or abuse involved, but rather administrative or technical documentation errors that have bearing on the quality of care provided to patient enrolled in Medicaid.  This legislation makes necessary reforms to the auditing process to ensure fairness, transparency and provider sustainability so they may continue to serve patients in their communities.

Insurance Coverage for Contraception Dispensed by Pharmacists

CPANYS supports legislation to require state-regulated commercial insurers to include coverage and reimbursement to a pharmacist who dispenses self-administered hormonal contraceptives in the same manner as how it is covered when given by other healthcare providers.  The bill passed both houses during the 2025 session and CPANYS urges the Governor to sign it into law.

Pharmacist Administered Contraceptive Injections

CPANYS supports legislation to authorize pharmacists to administer reversible progestin-only contraceptive injections.  Under NYS law, trained, licensed pharmacists may administer long-acting injectable medications for mental health and substance use disorder medications.  The bill remained in Senate and Assembly Rules when the 2025 session ended.

Pharmacy Network Requirements in Workers Comp

This legislation provides workers’ compensation claimants with greater flexibility by allowing them to fill their prescriptions not only at network pharmacies with whom an employer or carrier encourages an exclusive relationship, but also at resident, in-state pharmacies registered with the New York State Department of Education.  This bill was passed by both houses during the 2025 session and CPANYS urges the Governor to sign it into law.