Five for Friday April 24: Celebrating Success in Advancing Medication Use Quality

PQA was established 20 years ago today! On April 24, 2006, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) hosted a special expanded Open Door Forum to publicly announce, support and promote high-value pharmacy services, including measurement approaches, through a stakeholder-led PQA.  Since then, PQA’s mission to “optimize health by advancing the quality of medication use” has remained at the core of its work.

At the 2026 PQA Annual Meeting in Baltimore, May 12-14, we will recognize the people, milestones and achievements that have defined the organization’s 20 years of success. Learn more about the anniversary below.

We also highlight our members’ perspectives on medication adherence and CMS’s proposed rule. If you have news you’d like for us to spotlight in an upcoming Five For Friday, send us an email!

— Micah Cost, PharmD, PQA Chief Executive Officer

Predicting Nonadherence Through Data  

Late claim rates, not using extended day supply prescriptions and late refilling of index claims are a few of the factors that increase the risk of medication nonadherence in patients with chronic conditions, according to an abstract presented by MedImpact. The study examined how data collected through an automated refill reminder program can be used to identify characteristics associated with medication nonadherence. 

Reducing Cost With Medication Adherence   

Better medication adherence in patients with cardiovascular disease saves money and keeps them out of the emergency department, according to a UPMC Health Plan study. About 50% of patients who had adherence ≥ 90% remained there in the subsequent year but 10% to 13% of them fell below 70% in all 4 medication classes. Patients who increased their adherence from 80% to 90% to above 90% had 12% to 24% lower total cost-of-care in all 4 medication classes.


Seeking Faster Prior Authorizations  

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has proposed changes to slash long waiting periods for drugs, reducing barriers to timely access to critical treatments. The proposed rule would advance sweeping reforms to modernize prior authorization for drugs by establishing clear decision deadlines for impacted payers and increasing transparency through full disclosure of claims denials and appeals outcomes.

Celebrating 20 Years of Quality

To celebrate two decades of impact, explore the anniversary blog series, which highlights the people, partnerships and progress that have shaped medication use quality over the past 20 year. 

These blogs provide a meaningful look back and a forward view on the collaborative work advancing quality today.

PQA’s 20th anniversary celebrations are made possible in part by the generous support of Lilly USA, Merck, Pfizer, PQS by Innovaccer, AdhereHealth, Centene, Elevance Health, Humana, Kroger Health, Outcomes, Inmar, McKesson, American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy, American Pharmacists Association, American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, National Association of Specialty Pharmacy.

Your Next Engagement Opportunities

Network, Learn and Collaborate with PQA

  •  Help Celebrate PQA’s 20th Anniversary! Use this form to share your stories and perspectives on PQA’s work to advance medication use quality. Do you have photos or mementos from PQA’s 20 years that you can share? Send your pictures to PQA20@pqa.org.
  • Join us for the 2nd Quarter 2026 PQA Member Webinar on April 29, 1-2 p.m. ET. PQA Member Webinars share current quality measurement and research updates with members. Registration information can be found in the Member Resources Library.
  • Save the date to join us at the 2026 PQA Annual Meeting, May 12-14, at the Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor in Baltimore, Md. PQA’s collaborative approach makes our meeting the preferred destination for quality improvement professionals. Learn more. 

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