Why California Assemblyman Bill Monning Is The Coolest Member Of Any State Legislature In The History Of The Republic.

Bill Monning is chair of the California State Assembly Committee on Labor and Employment, which held an informational hearing back in April entitled "Working Conditions of Retail Pharmacists: Are Workers and Consumers Being Harmed?"

Does the sun rise in the east? From the post-hearing report:

One retail pharmacist testified anonymously to protect his identity. He stated that he had been employed as a pharmacist in charge for 20 years and had been employed by CVS Pharmacy as a "pharmacist in charge"

He expressed three main concerns. First, he stated that there are inadequate staffing levels. Retail pharmacists have additional responsibilities and that some company policies discourage breaks.

Second, he testified that there is lack of time for proper patient counseling. There is simply not enough time to provide proper counseling and there is a lack of proper space for patient confidentiality.

Finally, he expressed concern about certain prescription quotas that were linked to employee bonuses and created pressure on pharmacists to work faster.

Least surprising legislative hearing testimony ever. Unlike the vast majority of people in the profession getting and allowing their patients to get screwed however, someone is doing something about it. His name is Bill Monning. And he evidently cares more about you and the safety of your patients than your employer. I want you to think about that the next time you're tying your penis in a knot because you're drowning in prescriptions and don't have time to let the urine flow.

Wanna read something funny? This is from the testimony of Bill Dombrowski, President and CEO of the California Retailers Association:

Mr. Dombrowski stated that there is a need to address the following issues. First, there needs to be an effort to free pharmacist time to deal with core pharmacist issues.....

When questioned whether he favored a "prescription capping" proposal, Mr. Dombrowski stated that he did not favor such a proposal in statue. He testified that a better approach is for chains to utilize their own internal standards and controls, and indicated that is essentially a management problem that the chains have to handle themselves.

Uh-huh. So....there's a problem, but instead of getting behind concrete proposals to solve the problem, or offering any solutions of their own, The California Retailers Association says we should just assume that the people who created the problem will magically solve it. When they have absolutely no financial incentive to do so. Remember that as well the next time you're tying your penis in a knot. How the California Retailers Association totally went to bat for you.

Funny thing is, Bill Monning probably isn't your State Assemblyman. But again, he's doing more for you than your employer ever will. Good thing we don't have a government run health care system though. Because Bill Monning seems to be the only person not behind a pharmacy counter who gives a rats ass that the profession is being torn apart.

Your employer doesn't care.

Your state board doesn't care. Probably because there is a good chance they are run by your employer.

The American Pharmacists Association? BBBBBWWWWWAAAAAAHHHHHHAAAAHHHAAAAHHAAAA!!!! Oh God....can't breathe....laughing so hard at the thought of APhA actually doing something for the benefit of pharmacists. My diaphragm is sore now.

I'm sure I don't have to tell you the likes of Aetna and United Health don't give a shit.

So the only player in all this who's on your side if you dispense or receive a prescription is a member of the California Legislature. I want you to think about that as the health care reform debate unfolds over these next few months.

I also think it might not be a bad idea for you to thank Bill Monning.