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Pharmacy students urge DPH support for pharmacist reimbursement and PrEP access in pharmacies
Summary
UCSF pharmacy students urged the commission to back reimbursement codes and training for pharmacist counseling under SB 159 (PrEP furnishing) and cited SB 493 (2013) expanding pharmacists' scope; they asked for outreach to vulnerable populations and resources for monitoring adherence.
A group of pharmacy students from the University of California, San Francisco spoke during public comment about pharmacist scope and reimbursement on Oct. 1.
Students cited two state measures discussed in the hearing: Senate Bill 493 (2013), which expanded pharmacists' scope of practice, and the recently signed SB 159, which allows pharmacists to furnish pre‑exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV under certain conditions. They urged the commission and the Department of Public Health to support appropriate billing codes and reimbursement for pharmacist counseling and to promote training so pharmacists can implement PrEP services safely and equitably.
"The only way that this will be instituted is by incentivizing these kinds of counseling within the scope of community pharmacy," one student said during public comment. Students also raised practical concerns such as monitoring requirements and lab testing tied to PrEP and asked the department to plan outreach to vulnerable populations, including people experiencing homelessness, to ensure access.
The commission received the comments and did not take immediate action at the meeting; presenters requested that the department consider codes, training and public‑facing outreach plans.
