PLAID Day creates conversation between PharmD students and legislators
By Samantha Nebelecky
Published November 18, 2024
L-R: Cameron Argo, PharmD student from D’Youville College, Stephen Giroux, BS ’81, Saba Hajbandeh, PharmD ’28, SPAWNY membership engagement chair, Mohamad Ghazi, PharmD ’27, SPAWNY president, Carol Botros, PharmD ’28, SPAWNY P1 liaison, Sandra Lu, PharmD ’28, SPAWNY P1 liaison, Dimah Alani, PharmD ’27, SPAWNY treasurer, Katherine Beikirch, SPAWNY vice president, Christopher Yau, PharmD ’26, SPAWNY secretary.
The Student Pharmacists Association of Western New York (SPAWNY) hosted Pharmacy Legislative Advocacy Invitational Day (PLAID) on Nov. 6, providing our PharmD students the opportunity to meet with area legislators and discuss new legislation affecting health care.
This year’s event welcomed Assemblymember John McDonald and Joseph Popiolkoski, Legislative Director for Assemblywoman Karen McMahon.
Over 250 students attended and took part in conversations on a variety of health care topics.
Reimbursement Floor in Commercial Space
The Reimbursement Floor in Commercial Space establishes a minimum reimbursement rate for healthcare services provided by out-of-network providers in commercial health insurance, aiming to support fair compensation for providers.
Office of the Medicaid Inspector General (OMIG) Reform
The OMIG Reform seeks to improve transparency and fairness in OMIG audits, ensuring that Medicaid providers are protected from excessive or arbitrary enforcement.
Pharmacy Technician Reform
The Pharmacy Technician Reform expands the role of pharmacy technicians, allowing them to perform more tasks under a pharmacist’s supervision, addressing workforce shortages and improving efficiency in pharmacies.
Test and Treat
Test and Treat authorizes pharmacists to provide testing and initiate treatment for common illnesses, increasing accessibility to healthcare and reducing the burden on doctors for routine care.
“[PLAID] day represents far more than an event; it is a defining opportunity for us, as student pharmacists and future leaders, to unite and engage directly with lawmakers to advocate for policies that will shape the future of our profession,” says Mohamad Ghazi, PharmD ’27, SPAWNY president. “As student pharmacists, we are uniquely positioned to drive real, lasting change, demonstrating the invaluable role we play in improving patient care and transforming the healthcare system as a whole.”
For over 135 years, the University at Buffalo School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences has continually been a leader in the education of pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists, renowned for innovation in clinical practice and research. The school is accredited by the American Council of Pharmaceutical Education and is the No. 1 ranked school of pharmacy in New York State and No. 19 in the United States by U.S. News & World Report.