New site explains healthcare reform law to pharmacists, patients

A new website, www.HealthCareandYou.org, has been created to educate pharmacists, other health professionals, and patients about the Affordable Care Act.

A statement at the website points out that “the law is changing the way some Americans get health coverage. And it is increasing access to care for all of us.” To support this shift, the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) and several other health groups, including AARP, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Medical Association, and the American Nurses Association, came together to establish the site and the Health Care and You Coalition.

“NCPA and the rest of the coalition want to ensure that consumers understand the healthcare law and are equipped to make smart healthcare decisions for themselves and their families. It is also a resource that pharmacists can refer their patients to or use to research their own particular health needs or those of their family members,” said Kathleen Jaeger, CEO of NCPA.

The Health Care and You site offers detailed and timely information specific to each state, Jaeger added. “There will be variations in the implementation of some portions of the law in each state,” she said; the content on the website will change, based on any updates made to the law at the federal or state level.

Plans for the site include a chat feature that will allow users to ask members of the coalition questions about the law.