The House Ways and Means Committee has advanced legislation that would expand Medicare coverage for pharmacist-provided testing and treatment services for common respiratory illnesses. The Main Street Pharmacy Access Act, HR 3164, would allow Medicare Part B to cover pharmacist-provided testing and treatment for influenza, respiratory syncytial virus and strep throat in states that already authorize pharmacists to provide those services. The bill would also formally add pharmacists to the Social Security Act as providers, with Medicare reimbursement set at 80% of the physician fee schedule. The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists applauded the committee’s approval of the legislation, which the organization said would improve seniors’ access to timely care in community settings and help reduce strain across the healthcare system. ASHP said the legislation has been a long-standing advocacy priority for the organization and its pharmacy partners. Other pharmacy organizations echoed ASHP’s sentiments to the committee’s action. The National Association of Chain Drug Stores praised the markup as a major step toward giving seniors easier access to care at their local pharmacy. NACDS President and CEO Steve Anderson thanked the bill’s House sponsors for “driving this legislation forward and recognizing the need for every senior in America to be able to receive care from their neighborhood pharmacy.” The organization noted that more than a quarter of Congress has co-sponsored the legislation or its Senate companion bill. The National Community Pharmacists Association also weighed in, saying the legislation highlights the role pharmacy teams play in filling primary care gaps in…
