On May 1, during the NCPA Congressional Pharmacy Fly-In, Reps. Adrian Smith (R-Neb.), Brad Schneider (D-Ill.), Diana Harshbarger (R-Tenn.), and Doris Matsui (D-Calif.) introduced the Equitable Community Access to Pharmacist Services (ECAPS) Act (H.R.3164). This reintroduction of NCPA priority legislation would ensure Medicare beneficiaries can easily access health care services by authorizing pharmacists to test and treat COVID-19, flu, respiratory syncytial virus, and strep throat.
These policies recognize pharmacists and the role they have in improving health care access by establishing Medicare Part B direct reimbursement for these pharmacist services. Independent pharmacies have played a large role at both the federal and state levels in testing for COVID-19 and administering COVID-19 vaccines to those in their communities and in long-term care facilities, and this legislation would ensure continued access for patients to services at their local pharmacy. NCPA is proud to support this important bill.
