Ensuring Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act
Sponsored By: Representative Smith (NE)
Introduced
Summary
Covers pharmacist services under Medicare Part B. This bill would add pharmacist services to the Medicare definition of covered items when state law allows pharmacists to perform services in collaboration with a physician and when the services address COVID-19, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, streptococcal pharyngitis, or other public health needs tied to a declared emergency.
Show full summary
- Families and patients: People could get testing and treatment for COVID-19, flu, RSV, and strep from pharmacists and have those services billed to Medicare Part B. Coverage would apply to items and services furnished on or after January 1, 2026.
- Pharmacists and providers: Pharmacists who meet state collaboration or supervision rules could bill Medicare. Payment would be 80% of the lesser of the actual charge or 85% of the physician fee schedule rate, and 80% of the lesser of the actual charge or 100% of that rate for services addressing a public health need. The bill would bar balance billing for pharmacist services.
- Public health response: The bill prioritizes pharmacist testing and treatment tied to declared public health emergencies to expand access during outbreaks.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Medicare would cover pharmacist care
If enacted, Medicare Part B would cover some pharmacist services starting January 1, 2026. Coverage would include visits to evaluate, test, or treat COVID-19, flu, RSV, or strep, and services tied to a declared public health emergency. Services would only be covered if the pharmacist is allowed under state law and follows any required doctor supervision or collaboration. Medicare would pay 80% of the lower of the pharmacist’s charge or 85% of the usual Medicare amount (100% used for emergency‑related services). Pharmacists would not be allowed to bill you more than Medicare allows for these covered services.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Smith (NE)
NE • R
Cosponsors
Schneider
IL • D
Sponsored 5/1/2025
Harshbarger
TN • R
Sponsored 5/1/2025
Matsui
CA • D
Sponsored 5/1/2025
Kustoff
TN • R
Sponsored 5/7/2025
Sewell
AL • D
Sponsored 5/7/2025
Van Duyne
TX • R
Sponsored 5/7/2025
Doggett
TX • D
Sponsored 5/7/2025
Malliotakis
NY • R
Sponsored 5/7/2025
Ciscomani
AZ • R
Sponsored 5/7/2025
Hern (OK)
OK • R
Sponsored 5/9/2025
Moolenaar
MI • R
Sponsored 5/9/2025
Carey
OH • R
Sponsored 5/9/2025
Tenney
NY • R
Sponsored 5/20/2025
Davids (KS)
KS • D
Sponsored 5/20/2025
Craig
MN • D
Sponsored 5/20/2025
Trahan
MA • D
Sponsored 5/20/2025
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 5/20/2025
Yakym
IN • R
Sponsored 5/20/2025
Bost
IL • R
Sponsored 5/20/2025
McCormick
GA • R
Sponsored 5/20/2025
LaHood
IL • R
Sponsored 5/23/2025
Krishnamoorthi
IL • D
Sponsored 5/23/2025
Tonko
NY • D
Sponsored 6/3/2025
Johnson (SD)
SD • R
Sponsored 6/3/2025
DelBene
WA • D
Sponsored 6/3/2025
Moore (UT)
UT • R
Sponsored 6/3/2025
Vindman
VA • D
Sponsored 6/3/2025
Fischbach
MN • R
Sponsored 6/12/2025
McClellan
VA • D
Sponsored 6/12/2025
Kelly (IL)
IL • D
Sponsored 6/12/2025
McGuire
VA • R
Sponsored 6/12/2025
Carter (GA)
GA • R
Sponsored 7/14/2025
Moran
TX • R
Sponsored 7/14/2025
Steube
FL • R
Sponsored 7/14/2025
Auchincloss
MA • D
Sponsored 7/14/2025
Gottheimer
NJ • D
Sponsored 7/14/2025
Tran
CA • D
Sponsored 7/14/2025
Kiggans (VA)
VA • R
Sponsored 7/14/2025
Soto
FL • D
Sponsored 7/14/2025
Randall
WA • D
Sponsored 7/14/2025
Fitzpatrick
PA • R
Sponsored 7/14/2025
Hinson
IA • R
Sponsored 7/14/2025
Owens
UT • R
Sponsored 7/15/2025
Veasey
TX • D
Sponsored 7/16/2025
Gonzalez, V.
TX • D
Sponsored 7/29/2025
Miller (WV)
WV • R
Sponsored 7/29/2025
Mann
KS • R
Sponsored 7/29/2025
Kim
CA • R
Sponsored 7/29/2025
Flood
NE • R
Sponsored 9/3/2025
Salinas
OR • D
Sponsored 9/3/2025
Peters
CA • D
Sponsored 9/3/2025
Wilson (SC)
SC • R
Sponsored 9/15/2025
Dingell
MI • D
Sponsored 9/15/2025
Finstad
MN • R
Sponsored 9/19/2025
Bresnahan
PA • R
Sponsored 10/17/2025
Lee (NV)
NV • D
Sponsored 10/17/2025
Landsman
OH • D
Sponsored 10/17/2025
Begich
AK • R
Sponsored 10/17/2025
Allen
GA • R
Sponsored 10/17/2025
Rulli
OH • R
Sponsored 10/17/2025
Cohen
TN • D
Sponsored 10/17/2025
Tokuda
HI • D
Sponsored 10/17/2025
Bean (FL)
FL • R
Sponsored 10/17/2025
Balderson
OH • R
Sponsored 10/17/2025
Perez
WA • D
Sponsored 10/17/2025
Houlahan
PA • D
Sponsored 10/21/2025
Bilirakis
FL • R
Sponsored 10/24/2025
Harder (CA)
CA • D
Sponsored 10/24/2025
Jackson (IL)
IL • D
Sponsored 10/28/2025
Nunn (IA)
IA • R
Sponsored 10/28/2025
Weber (TX)
TX • R
Sponsored 10/31/2025
Feenstra
IA • R
Sponsored 10/31/2025
Dean (PA)
PA • D
Sponsored 11/4/2025
Quigley
IL • D
Sponsored 11/4/2025
Balint
VT • D
Sponsored 11/7/2025
Pingree
ME • D
Sponsored 11/7/2025
Langworthy
NY • R
Sponsored 11/7/2025
Swalwell
CA • D
Sponsored 11/21/2025
Maloy
UT • R
Sponsored 11/21/2025
Cline
VA • R
Sponsored 11/21/2025
Scott, Austin
GA • R
Sponsored 11/21/2025
Vasquez
NM • D
Sponsored 11/21/2025
Neguse
CO • D
Sponsored 11/21/2025
Beatty
OH • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Hill (AR)
AR • R
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Ross
NC • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Clarke (NY)
NY • D
Sponsored 12/3/2025
Aderholt
AL • R
Sponsored 12/18/2025
McDonald Rivet
MI • D
Sponsored 12/18/2025
Pappas
NH • D
Sponsored 12/18/2025
Barragan
CA • D
Sponsored 12/18/2025
Hudson
NC • R
Sponsored 12/18/2025
Bynum
OR • D
Sponsored 12/18/2025
Crow
CO • D
Sponsored 12/18/2025
Rogers (AL)
AL • R
Sponsored 1/12/2026
Himes
CT • D
Sponsored 1/20/2026
Schweikert
AZ • R
Sponsored 2/5/2026
Kelly (PA)
PA • R
Sponsored 2/11/2026
Kean
NJ • R
Sponsored 2/24/2026
Walberg
MI • R
Sponsored 3/9/2026
Fletcher
TX • D
Sponsored 3/24/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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