# 119-s-2426: Equitable Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act

119-s-2426, Equitable Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Thune, John [R-SD] (R-SD); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-03).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2426
- As of: 2026-10-03
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-2426
- Congress: 119
- Title: Equitable Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-07-24
- Sponsor: Sen. Thune, John [R-SD] (R-SD)
- Cosponsors: 33
- Policy area: Health
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-10-03

## Summary

**Medicare coverage for pharmacist services**. This bill would add pharmacist services to Medicare Part B, define which pharmacist services qualify, set payment rules, require collaboration with physicians under State law, and bar balance billing, effective January 1, 2026. - Seniors and Medicare enrollees would get Part B coverage for pharmacist visits that evaluate, test, or treat COVID-19, influenza, RSV, or streptococcal pharyngitis and for other pharmacist testing or treatment tied to a declared public health emergency. Coverage applies to items and services furnished on or after Jan. 1, 2026. - Pharmacists would become a defined Part B provider category with a specified collaboration process for working with physicians or practitioners under State law and related scope‑of‑practice rules. The bill adds pharmacists to the list of providers banned from balance billing. - Payment rules would tie pharmacist reimbursement to the physician fee schedule. Medicare would pay 80% of the lesser of the actual charge or a percentage of the fee‑schedule amount, normally 85% and 100% for services addressing a public health need.

## Cosponsors (33)

- Sen. Kelly, Mark [D-AZ] (D-AZ), 2026-09-29T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Warner, Mark R. [D-VA] (D-VA), 2025-07-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Tillis, Thomas [R-NC] (R-NC), 2025-07-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Daines, Steve [R-MT] (R-MT), 2025-07-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Hassan, Margaret Wood [D-NH] (D-NH), 2025-07-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA] (D-MA), 2025-07-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT] (D-VT), 2025-07-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV] (D-NV), 2025-07-24T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Lankford, James [R-OK] (R-OK), 2025-07-30T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Blunt Rochester, Lisa [D-DE] (D-DE), 2025-09-03T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Cramer, Kevin [R-ND] (R-ND), 2025-09-03T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN] (D-MN), 2025-09-09T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Sullivan, Dan [R-AK] (R-AK), 2025-09-09T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM] (D-NM), 2025-09-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH] (D-NH), 2025-09-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Capito, Shelley Moore [R-WV] (R-WV), 2025-09-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Fischer, Deb [R-NE] (R-NE), 2025-09-17T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK] (R-AK), 2025-10-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA] (D-VA), 2025-10-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE] (D-DE), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Rounds, Mike [R-SD] (R-SD), 2025-10-08T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA] (D-CA), 2025-10-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Kennedy, John [R-LA] (R-LA), 2025-10-14T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Mullin, Markwayne [R-OK-2] (R-OK), 2025-10-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Marshall, Roger [R-KS] (R-KS), 2025-10-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Blackburn, Marsha [R-TN] (R-TN), 2025-11-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Peters, Gary C. [D-MI] (D-MI), 2025-11-20T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI] (D-RI), 2025-12-02T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Collins, Susan M. [R-ME] (R-ME), 2026-02-09T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA] (D-WA), 2026-02-09T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. McCormick, David [R-PA] (R-PA), 2026-06-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] (D-OR), 2026-06-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX] (R-TX), 2026-09-23T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Medicare coverage for pharmacist services: mixed, medium. If enacted, Medicare Part B would cover a new category called "pharmacist services" starting January 1, 2026. Pharmacists could bill for services they are legally authorized to provide under State law, and they must follow any State-required supervision or collaboration rules. Medicare payment woul…

## Related bills

- 119-s-1071: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026
- 119-sres-585: A resolution honoring the life, achievements, and legacy of Ben Nighthorse Campbell.
- 119-sres-255: A resolution honoring the life, achievements, and legacy of former United States Senator Christopher "Kit" Bond of Missouri.
- 119-sres-159: A resolution honoring the life of the Honorable John Bennett Johnston, Jr., former Senator for the State of Louisiana.
- 119-sres-148: A resolution honoring the life of the Honorable Alan K. Simpson, former Senator for the State of Wyoming.
- 119-sres-19: A resolution honoring the life and legacy of President Jimmy Carter and commending President Jimmy Carter for his life-long career of public service, humanitar…

## Sources
- [119-s-2426 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/2426)

## Related
- [119-s-1071: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-1071)
- [119-sres-585: A resolution honoring the life, achievements, and legacy of Ben Nighthorse Camp…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-sres-585)
- [119-sres-255: A resolution honoring the life, achievements, and legacy of former United State…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-sres-255)
- [119-sres-159: A resolution honoring the life of the Honorable John Bennett Johnston, Jr., for…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-sres-159)
- [119-sres-148: A resolution honoring the life of the Honorable Alan K. Simpson, former Senator…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-sres-148)
- [119-sres-19: A resolution honoring the life and legacy of President Jimmy Carter and commend…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-sres-19)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2426 (as of 2026-10-03).