Ensuring Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act
Take action
Record your position on this measure.
Create an account to take a stance, submit a written position, or contact your legislator.
Progress
Where this bill stands in the legislative process.
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To President
- Became Law
Overview
This bill, the Ensuring Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act, amends the Social Security Act to expand Medicare coverage of services provided by pharmacists. Specifically, it allows pharmacists to be reimbursed for certain services, including those related to testing and treatment for COVID-19, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, and streptococcal pharyngitis, as well as services addressing public health emergencies. The bill also establishes a collaboration process between pharmacists and physicians and modifies payment rates for these services.
Key provisions
- Expands Medicare coverage to include pharmacist services as defined in the bill.
- Allows reimbursement for services related to COVID-19, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, and streptococcal pharyngitis.
- Includes testing or treatment services addressing public health emergencies.
- Establishes a collaboration process between pharmacists and physicians.
- Sets pharmacist payment rates at 80 percent of the actual charge or 85 percent of the payment basis amount, with exceptions for public health services.
- Recognizes pharmacists as healthcare providers alongside practitioners.
- Defines ‘pharmacist services’ and ‘collaboration’ for Medicare purposes.
- Specifies an effective date of January 1, 2026.
Who is affected
- Medicare beneficiaries
- Pharmacists
- Physicians
- Healthcare providers
Bill text
Read the latest version inline or switch to a previous version.
Text extraction is in progress. View the official source.
Sponsors
Official sponsors from legislative records.
142 on record
Primary sponsor
Cosponsors
Arguments
Reasons offered for and against this legislation.
Arguments in favor
No arguments in favor have been submitted.
Submit yoursArguments opposed
No arguments opposed have been submitted.
Submit yours