We are in regular communication with HHS, CMS, and the various groups within. Their campaign to prevent a million heart attacks is still under way and looking for your support. We’ve learned that Million Hearts has 7,500 pledges—2,500 shy of its goal of 10,000. Of those, 537 pledges (see state list below) are from pharmacists, including 150+ from students at the University of Maryland that were gathered in 1 week. Only 50 additional pharmacist pledges per state would put us over the top. Here are few of the reasons to support the Million Hearts Initiative. The HHS Secretary this week mentioned medication therapy management at the International AIDS Conference. The Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health Information Technology (HIT) reached out to pharmacies about an app challenge that will drive people to pharmacies for blood pressure and lipid screening and counseling. And pharmacies were highlighted as key partners in CMS's efforts to roll out the Health Insurance Exchanges. Need some more reasons? In the past month, pharmacists received 15% of the Health Care Innovation Challenge awards, the Medicare Conditions of Participation were rewritten to include pharmacists as medical staff, and CDC rolled out their recommendations on team-based care a year early. Several pharmacy leaders have been invited to the White House for being Community Leaders in heart health or women's health. The U.S. Surgeon General issued a report about pharmacists and is speaking with many of your colleagues about medication adherence. Our collective and tireless advocacy for the profession are the reason this is happening. The care you provide and your amazing patient care services lead to the research and evidence that will soon lead to permanent payment policy changes. We are building the relationships with advocacy organizations representing other health professions and consumer groups that are now advocating on your behalf. Let’s keep the momentum! I urge you and every pharmacist, student pharmacist, and pharmacy technician you know to please help Million Hearts reach 10,000 pledges by going to the Million Hearts Pledge and providing your name, email, city, and state. I can't overstate the value of telling HHS leadership that pharmacy was there for Million Hearts, and helped Million Hearts meet its goal. 2,500 pledges puts us over the top. 3,500 pledges would mean there is one pharmacist pledge for every consumer pledge. I know our friend at CMS, John Michael O’Brien, would love to make THAT slide for his presentations! Over my years in pharmacy, I've seen pharmacists asked to call or write their Member of Congress, attend a legislative day, or sign a petition supporting pharmacists as Medicare providers. Yet, I have never seen a simpler, easier way for the Secretary, Deputy Secretary, and HHS principals to be simultaneously told "Pharmacists stepped up in a big way and are our most supportive partners." If you have stories of how you improve heart health, raise awareness or save lives, please share them. We’ll be sure CMS hears about it. Nine months ago, I was on the stage with the HHS Secretary and the heads of CMS & CDC. Today, you have an opportunity to stand alone in the spotlight. You're already doing the work. It is time for you to get the credit. Help us build pharmacy’s case! To stimulate a little friendly competition, I’ve listed the number of pharmacists’ pledges, by state below. What state will be on top a week from now at the end of July?

AK 4 AL 10 AR 17 AZ 3 CA 15 CO 17 CT 8 DC 2 DE 2 FL 21 GA 14 HI 2 IA 5 IL 15 IN 6 KS 4 KY 9 LA 5 MA 6 MD 163 ME 4 MI 4 MN 8 MO 10 MS 6 MT 1 NC 16 ND 2 NE 2 NH 1 NJ 8 NM 2 NV 1 NY 12 OH 15 OK 8 OR 6 PA 18 PR 2 RI 7 SC 3 SD 2 TN 10 TX 23 UT 6 VA 16 WA 7 WI 6 WV 1 WY 2 TOTAL 537