Congress Reintroduces Legislation Ensuring Patient Access to Pharmacists’ Services

Congress reintroduced legislation to protect seniors’ access to pharmacists’ services under Medicare. 

The Ensuring Community Access to Pharmacist Services (ECAPS) Act (H.R. 3164), introduced by Reps. Adrian Smith (R-NE), Brad Schneider (D-IL), Diana Harshbarger (R-TN), and Doris Matsui (D-CA), is bipartisan legislation that would allow pharmacists to be reimbursed as providers under Medicare Part B for vaccination, testing, and treatment of common respiratory infections.

“ASHP strongly supports the Ensuring Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act,” said Tom Kraus, ASHP vice president of government relations. “ECAPS will enable Medicare beneficiaries to obtain testing and treatment for common infectious diseases from their pharmacists and recognizes the critical role pharmacists play as care providers for America’s seniors.”

ASHP, along with 48 hospitals, health systems, and pharmacy organizations, recently called on Congress to pass ECAPS. ASHP members are encouraged to write to their members of Congress and ask them to support this important legislation.