Report Details
Submitting OIG:
Report Description:
What Was Performed? A special report that reviewed healthcare-related
shortages and legislative changes concerning pharmacists’ provider status in efforts
to protect and expand consumer access to critical services.
Why This Engagement? Under the Delaware Code, it is the State Auditor’s job to offer
suggestions to improve efficiency and effectiveness in state government. This special report
evaluates national and state legislative changes that can help improve the effectiveness of
the state’s healthcare systems and prevent any further loss of professional pharmacy
services in underserved areas.
What Was Found?
• Healthcare Shortage: There is currently a shortage of roughly 43,000 physicians nationwide,
most notably in rural and urban areas.
• Poor Access to Care: 25% of Delawareans live in a Health Professional Shortage Area
(HPSA), and Delaware ranks 48th in the nation for access to care in a designated HPSA.
• Excessive Costs: Delaware has the 5th-highest spending in the country per patient, with
much of that cost stemming from patients forced to seek medical care at hospitals.
• Legislative Solutions: 37 states have passed reimbursement and provider status legislation
for licensed pharmacists to address the healthcare provider shortage. In 2021 alone, 213
bills were introduced in 43 states to codify federal and state emergency authority granted
during the pandemic.
• Recommendations: This report contains 3 recommendations and an analysis of benefits of
comparable legislative changes for key stakeholders (patients, health plans, and
pharmacists).
The new special report, “Strengthening our Frontlines: Securing Provider Status for Delaware’s
Pharmacists” can be found here.
Under Delaware Code 2909, the State Auditor may produce special reports that examine state
agencies’ performance and offer recommendations for greater accuracy and efficiency, as well
as data, information, and recommendations the auditor deems advisable and necessary.
Please do not reply to this email. For any questions regarding the attached report, please contact
State Auditor Kathleen K. McGuiness at Kathleen.Mcguiness@delaware.gov.
Date Issued:
Tuesday, January 18, 2022
Agency Reviewed / Investigated:
Location:
DE
United StatesType of Report:
Other
Professional Standard:
GAO's Yellow Book, Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards (GAGAS)