Pharmacy residency training is an organized, directed, accredited program that builds upon knowledge, skills, attitudes, and abilities gained from an accredited professional pharmacy degree program. The first-year residency (PGY1) program enhances general competencies in managing medication-use systems and supports optimal medication therapy outcomes for patients with a broad range of disease states. The second-year residency program is focused on a specific area of practice. The second-year PGY-2 program increases the resident’s depth of knowledge, skills, attitudes, and abilities to raise the resident’s level of expertise in medication therapy management and clinical leadership in the area of focus. In practice areas where board certification exists, graduates are prepared to pursue such certification.

Since 2019, CMS has implemented changes to its auditing procedures for clinical pharmacy residency programs, without updating its regulations or providing guidance on how residency programs can stay in compliance with these auditing procedures.

Medicare passthrough funding for postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) residency programs is critical to ensuring the sustainability of the clinical pharmacy profession. However, under these burdensome Medicare auditing procedures, many PGY1 residency programs have been stripped of funding. 

Congress has introduced legislation that would prevent these unnecessary funding clawbacks that jeopardize PGY1 residency programs. 
Congress has introduced bipartisan legislation to protect critical federal funding for pharmacy and nursing residency programs. The Rebuild America’s Health Care Schools Act of 2024 (S. 5397/H.R. 10225) would clarify the requirements that hospitals and health systems must meet to receive Medicare reimbursement for operating healthcare residency programs, including pharmacy PGY1 programs.

Take action now to send an email asking your members of congress to cosponsor these important bills! For more information, please contact ACCP’s team in Washington, DC at jmcglew@accp.com.