Main Street Pharmacy Podcast

B. Douglas Hoey, CEO of the National Community Pharmacist Association (NCPA), joins Kevin to discuss the Main Street Pharmacy Access Act, the role of pharmacies in expanding access to care, and why Medicare reimbursement is a critical next step for clinical services in pharmacy. They also cover pharmacy infrastructure, chronic disease management opportunities, the Access and Bridge programs, and p...

In this episode, Kevin Houlihan welcomes back Mike Wysong, CEO of CARE Pharmacies, for a conversation on pharmacy access, federal legislation, and the evolving role of pharmacists under Medicare. Mike shares the story behind his recent commencement speech and honorary doctorate before diving into the Main Street Pharmacy Access Act, its progress through Congress, and what continued advocacy could...

Kevin welcomes back Workflow Service's Director of Pharmacy Zach Rosko, PharmD, BCPS to discuss Nevada’s efforts to expand pharmacist clinical services and remove regulatory barriers that limit patient access, especially for Medicaid recipients. Their discussion explores how pharmacists’ advanced training supports safe, cost-effective care, and how legislative advocacy and relationship-buildi...

Shannon Brenkendorff returns to share his firsthand experience testifying on pharmacy legislation in Colorado. He breaks down what the hearing process actually looks like, how pharmacists are advocating for expanded care access, and why “test and treat” laws matter for patients. The conversation highlights the real-world impact of policy decisions, the role of technology in supporting pharmacists,...

In this special episode, host Kevin Houlihan fields questions on how Workflow Services is supporting a new initiative at Walgreens to expand access to colorectal cancer screening through retail pharmacies. He explains how at-home testing programs like Cologuard make preventative care more accessible, especially for patients who may not regularly see a primary care provider. Through real patient st...

Kevin Houlihan sits down with Walgreens Chief Pharmacy Officer Rick Gates to discuss the evolving role of pharmacies in expanding access to care. They explore how reimbursement, federal reform, and industry alignment will shape the future of clinical services in pharmacy. The conversation covers why pharmacists are uniquely positioned to fill healthcare gaps, especially in rural communities, and h...

In this episode of the ECAPS Watch Podcast, Kevin Houlihan sits down with Mike Wysong, CEO of CARE Pharmacies Cooperative, to explore the future of pharmacy care and the momentum behind ECAPS legislation. Mike shares firsthand insights on bipartisan support, lessons from COVID, and why pharmacists are uniquely positioned to close gaps in care. The conversation highlights the power of showing up, t...

In this special mailbag episode of the ECAPS Watch Podcast, Kevin Houlihan is joined by Laura Brown and Shannon Brenkendorff to discuss what they are hearing from pharmacies across the country. The conversation covers operational challenges, consumer expectations, billing and documentation hurdles, and real-world success stories showing how pharmacy-based care is expanding access. From point-of-ca...

Congressman Scott Peters joins the ECAPS Watch Podcast to discuss his bipartisan support for the ECAPS legislation and the role pharmacies play in expanding healthcare access. He shares why pharmacies are a critical first point of care, especially for Medicare patients, rural communities, and time-sensitive treatments. Drawing on lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and the growth of telehealth, Pet...

Kevin Houlihan sits down with Dr. Emily Zadvorny, CEO of the Colorado Pharmacist Society, to unpack how Colorado became a national model for expanding pharmacist scope and securing payment for clinical services. They explore legislative wins, challenges in provider status, the real-world impact on patient access, and why ECAPS could transform care nationwide. Emily shares powerful stories from rur...

In this episode of ECAPS Watch, host Kevin Houlihan interviews Congressman Marc Veasey from Texas's 33rd Congressional District. Representative Veasey, who serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee and represents a low-income district dealing with healthcare access issues, has co-sponsored all three versions of the ECAPS bills since the original was introduced by former Congressman Ron Kind...

In this episode of ECAPS Watch, CEO Kevin Houlihan interviews Dr. Lisa Faast, founder of DiversifyRx and Pharmacy Badass University. Dr. Faast shares her expertise on helping independent pharmacies evolve and thrive through strategic change and clinical service expansion. She discusses how ECAPS legislation represents a crucial step toward pharmacist provider recognition, addresses common barriers...

Former Wisconsin Representative Ron Kind, the original architect of the ECAPS legislation, sits down with Kevin. Former Rep. Kind shares the inspiring story behind this groundbreaking legislation that expands pharmacists' scope of services under Medicare reimbursement. From his travels through rural Wisconsin witnessing pharmacists as the first line of healthcare, to the bipartisan support no...

In this episode of ECAPS Watch, Chair of the Oregon State Pharmacy Association, Amanda Meeker, PharmD, shares her dual perspective from both the payer and advocacy sides of healthcare legislation. She discusses how pharmacists demonstrated their provider capabilities during COVID by testing patients and prescribing Paxlovid, and explains why expanding these services to other conditions like flu an...

In this episode of ECAPS Watch, Summer Kerley shares a compelling real-world example of expanded pharmacy care in action. While providing vaccines at a local pharmacy, she encountered a patient with UTI symptoms who needed additional care beyond immunizations. This story highlights how pharmacists serve as accessible healthcare touchpoints, helping patients navigate their care needs and connect wi...

In this episode of ECAPS Watch, CEO Kevin Houlihan speaks with Dr. Nancy Gagliano, a physician with extensive experience at Mass General Hospital, NIH, and CVS MinuteClinic. They explore how pharmacies are evolving beyond traditional prescription filling to deliver comprehensive healthcare services like testing and treatment. Nancy discusses the transformative potential of the ECAPS program, which...

In this episode of the ECAPS Watch podcast, Kevin talks with James Allen, Manager of Clinical Performance at AlignRX, about the expanding role of pharmacy teams in healthcare delivery. James shares his unique perspective combining pharmacy and public health backgrounds, drawing from childhood experiences in his father's rural Oklahoma pharmacy. They discuss how pharmacies serve as healthcare...

In this episode of ECAPs Watch, host Kevin Houlihan sits down with pharmacy expert Zach Rosko, PharmD, BCPS, to explore how the ECAPs legislation could revolutionize healthcare access for Medicare patients. Zach breaks down the current reality where pharmacists must screen patients by insurance type before providing clinical services, explaining how Medicare recognition would finally allow compreh...