March 27 -- The National Community Pharmacists Association is urging passage of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act in a letter to leaders of the House of Representatives. The CARES Act contains protections that would help small businesses pharmacies survive the coronavirus pandemic. The legislation passed the Senate earlier this week and is scheduled for consideration in the House today.

"Neighborhood pharmacies are doing everything possible to provide high quality patient care even as the pandemic exerts enormous strain on their ability to keep their doors open," said Karry La Violette, NCPA's senior vice president of government affairs. "Any delay in passage of the CARES Act compromises our members' ability to provide continued access to care for millions of Americans, including some of our most vulnerable and especially in our nation's rural communities, where small business independent community pharmacies are often the sole health care provider."

The CARES Act would make small businesses with 500 or fewer employees eligible for emergency grants and a forgivable loan program. There are also changes to rules for expenses and deductions meant to make it easier for small businesses to keep employees on the payroll and open for business. The legislation would help small business pharmacies' employees as well, which is important as they are serving on the front lines of care during this pandemic.

Read La Violette's letter of support here. As the CARES Act was being drafted earlier this month, NCPA joined a coalition of organizations in pushing for inclusion of policies to help businesses reduce their costs and increase their cash flow as much as possible as the pandemic continues.