It has been one year--since January 1, 2013--that comprehensive medication review has been recognized as a medication therapy management (MTM) service that must be offered annually by Medicare Part D prescription drug plans to \"qualified beneficiaries.\" This requirement solidifies the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services\' commitment to ensure all beneficiaries, including those in long-term care facilities, receive quality MTM services. Consultant pharmacists, who have long provided federally mandated medication regimen review services, may have their first opportunity to be paid for the additional services that they provide to individual Medicare beneficiaries residing in those facilities.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has recently increased its focus on appropriate care for individuals with dementia who reside in nursing facilities. As part of its program, \"Partnership to Improve Dementia Care in Nursing Homes,\" CMS has updated portions of the State Operations Manual, the document that guides how care should be provided in nursing facilities. Pharmacists and other health care practitioners working in these facilities need to be aware of these changes, which may require adaptations to policies, procedures, and documentation for residents with dementia. In addition, it may affect the use of certain types of medications for these residents.