Some Tips About Meeting Legislators
First, let your NCPA Government Affairs team in Washington, D.C. know that you have scheduled a
meeting. Call (703) 683-8200. They can provide you with valuable information about the legislator and
his or her positions. Your state association can provide the same type of assistance when you are
planning to meet a state legislator.
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Call ahead for an appointment and tell them what issues you wish to discuss.
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Time with legislators is extremely valuable. Have an agenda so that you don't "chat" until the
clock runs out. Ask the staff person how much time you will have and plan accordingly. Most
meetings last about 30 minutes.
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Don't be disappointed if you only meet with staff. (Staff members play a key role in advising
elected officials. Treat a meeting with staff as you would a meeting with any elected official.)
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Expect a legislator to say that they will have their staff "look into the issue." That's okay. Your
NCPA Government Affairs team will follow-up with staff.
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Volunteer yourself as a source of local expertise on health care issues.
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Consider including other pharmacists or even concerned patients in the meeting you schedule to
show unity and leadership.
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Stick to FACTS.
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Don't give way to emotional arguments or unsubstantiated opinions. Moreover, NEVER stretch
the truth, at the risk of losing your credibility with the legislator!
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Give the legislator a one-page paper describing the issue and the solution. NCPA can provide
you with simple issue briefs on many topics.
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Be a good listener, even if the legislator disagrees with aspects of our position.
Acknowledge where other views have merit, and stress that you want to work more closely wherever
possible.
Leave the meeting open-ended for further discussions—and ALWAYS follow up with a personal "thank
you" note.
Getting a Meeting With a Legislator—Steps and Protocol

Call the legislator's office to schedule your meeting. You should contact the local district office
that is nearest to your community. Have several dates in mind and ask what would be
convenient for the legislator's schedule.
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Know the issues you want to discuss. Contact NCPA's Government Affairs division or your state
association for issue papers and information packets.
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Call again closer to the date of the meeting and reconfirm the appointment schedule.
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Be on time for your appointment and be patient. A legislator's schedule is hectic and subject to
change at a moment's notice. Ask the staff person how much time you have with the legislator.
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If others attend the meeting with you, designate ahead of time, who will lead the discussion
with the legislator. Stick with just one or two primary discussion topics. Be friendly, polite and
brief—don't use up too much of your valuable time with small talk. Directly ask for the
legislator's opinion on your issue(s). Listen, and put forward your own point of view, but never
be argumentative.
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Leave a one-page NCPA issue paper with the legislator and, if possible, a key staffer.
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Always ask the legislator to take a specific action—e.g. support or oppose a bill or amendment,
become a co-sponsor of a bill, etc.
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If the legislator asks you a question to which you don't know the answer, advise the legislator
that you will follow up on the issue and get back to him or her. Then be sure you do. NCPA will
help you find the answer.
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Don't feel "put off" if you meet with the legislator's staff. They are very influential in the
legislative process.
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Invite the legislator to visit your pharmacy when he or she is next going to be in the district.
Suggest it as a good way to meet constituents who are pharmacy patients and have personal
experiences to share with regard to Medicare, Medicaid and other key issues. Please call NCPA
Government Affairs at (703) 683-8200.
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Be sure that when you leave, your legislator knows that you are an informed, professional
resource should he or she need information and insights about health care concerns.

Always send a "thank you" note after every meeting that summarizes the main points you
made in the meeting and what the legislator said. To make the biggest impact also send a thank
you note by email.
What Activities to Prepare: Nothing elaborate or "staged." A simple familiarization tour of the daily
workings of a community pharmacy is informative enough. Interaction with patients and staff is
essential—maybe joining the pharmacist behind the prescription counter to chat with patients. It is
sometimes a good idea to arrange an opportunity for the visiting legislator to speak to an assembled
group of employees and patients. If there is an opportunity for a group of Medicare patients (for
example) to hear a short speech by the elected official, this will be much appreciated. You may be able
to tie the visit to another community or seniors' event.
Make Time for a Personal Meeting: Set aside some time in your tour schedule for a one-on-one talk
with your visitor about some critical issues facing community pharmacy. This helps build your personal
relationship with the legislator, and it helps establish you as an information resource on health care
issues.
Questions to Expect and Materials to Prepare: Be prepared for questions from the legislator and expect
the staff people, who usually come along, to take notes and learn from the experience. Know the
number of your patients you serve monthly, how many are on Medicaid and Medicare and other basic
community service data for your pharmacy(ies). Include this data in a printed Pharmacy Profile to hand
out to the legislator and their staff members.
How to Conduct the Tour: Act naturally, as with any other visitor. Don't lobby them too much with
political issues, but do save some time during their visit to raise community pharmacy's issues. Just
seeing your daily operations should ensure that the legislator never looks at community pharmacy care
in the same way as before the tour. You will have achieved your purpose and established yourself even
more as an "expert" resource.