Equitable Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act
S 2477 (Equitable Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act) expands Medicare Part B coverage to include specific pharmacist services previously only covered when provided by physicians. It directly affects Medicare beneficiaries and pharmacists by allowing coverage for services like evaluating patients for COVID-19, flu, or respiratory illnesses, and addressing public health emergencies - provided pharmacists are licensed or operating under federal emergency authority. The bill establishes payment at 80% of the lesser of actual charge or 85% of physician payment rates (100% during federal emergencies) and prohibits balance billing for these services. It also clarifies that existing Medicare enrollment pathways for pharmacists remain available. This bill modifies Medicare Part B coverage under the Social Security Act without restricting current pharmacy reimbursement options.
Bill status
in committee
1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jul 2023
Committee Review
Floor Vote
President
Introduced Jul 25, 2023
Last action Jul 25, 2023
Floor votes
How they voted
No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
2
Key actions
0
Committee
1
Jul 25, 2023
Committee
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
upper
Jul 25, 2023
Introduced
Introduced in Senate
upper
1 primary · 29 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
John Thune
RRepublican
Co
Amy Klobuchar
DDemocratic
Co
Catherine Cortez Masto
DDemocratic
Co
Christopher A. Coons
DDemocratic
Co
Dan Sullivan
RRepublican
Co
Deb Fischer
RRepublican
Co
Elizabeth Warren
DDemocratic
Co
Gary C. Peters
DDemocratic
Co
James Lankford
RRepublican
Co
Jeanne Shaheen
DDemocratic
Co
Jeff Merkley
DDemocratic
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