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H.R. 3164119th Congress
Official title: Ensuring Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act
Introduced:
Read the official bill on Congress.govThe plain-language version leads. The official text is always the reference.
Medicare would start paying pharmacists directly for testing and treating COVID-19, flu, RSV, and strep starting January 1, 2026.
45-second read · 4 questions answered below
This bill would let Medicare Part B pay pharmacists directly for evaluating and managing patients tested or treated for COVID-19, the flu, RSV, and strep throat, plus services during declared public health emergencies. Pharmacists would be paid a percentage of what doctors receive for similar services and must follow state supervision or collaboration requirements. Patients could not be charged extra beyond Medicare-approved amounts.
Medicare patients, mostly people 65 and older or those with certain disabilities, would gain a new option to get testing or treatment at pharmacies. Pharmacists would gain a new Medicare payment pathway, and doctors and clinics could be affected if patients choose pharmacy visits instead.
The change could shift where some patients seek care for common illnesses, moving certain visits from doctors' offices and clinics to pharmacies.
AI-drafted summary. Verify it against the official text before you act on it. Read the official bill on Congress.gov
Right now: a House committee is reviewing it. If the Senate changes it, it goes back to the House before reaching the President.
Latest action: — Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute by Voice Vote.