WASHINGTON – Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) today reintroduced bipartisan legislation encouraging pharmacists to serve older Americans in communities that lack easy access to doctors or where pharmacists are able to provide certain basic medical services.
 
The Pharmacy and Medically Underserved Areas Enhancement Act encourages pharmacists to offer health care services such as health and wellness screenings, immunizations and diabetes management by authorizing Medicare payments for those services where pharmacists are already licensed under state law to provide them. Many states already allow pharmacists to provide these services, but there is currently no way for pharmacists to receive Medicare reimbursement for providing them.
 
“The health and wellness of older Americans ought to be prioritized, regardless of zip code,” Grassley said. “For many seniors in rural areas, especially in Iowa, it’s simply easier to get to a pharmacist than a doctor. Licensed pharmacists should be compensated by Medicare to perform basic medical services so seniors can be saved taxing trips to far-flung doctors’ offices.”
 
“Seniors in rural Ohio shouldn’t have to travel long distances to see their doctor for a vaccine when the pharmacist down the street can offer the same services. We can better serve our seniors and taxpayers by cutting through the red tape and giving seniors more choice on where they go for care,” Brown said.
 
“New Mexicans in rural communities, especially seniors, shouldn’t be forced to travel for hours to receive care when there are closer options nearby, like a local pharmacist,” Luján said. “Since older citizens are at higher risk for diseases, a long, tedious drive is not helpful when care is more urgently needed. I’m proud to reintroduce this common-sense, bipartisan legislation that allows pharmacists to be reimbursed for providing care while providing a shorter commute for New Mexicans.”
 
“Older adults in rural communities are at increased risk for many chronic diseases and yet many still face barriers in accessing basic health care services. This important legislation would allow pharmacists to support the health needs of seniors in rural communities by increasing access to routine care, like wellness checks and management of chronic diseases,” Casey said.
 
“We must consider innovations to help alleviate the growing stress on rural health care and those who rely on it. This legislation is one such innovation. It would improve access to basic care for seniors by reimbursing pharmacists who offer health care services to Medicare beneficiaries,” Hyde-Smith said. “It’s time to take this step and help those in rural and underserved areas.”
 
Supporters of the bill include the Iowa Pharmacy Association, the American Pharmacists Association and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.
 
“Pharmacists play an essential role in ensuring convenient access to health care services for Iowa communities. Recognizing pharmacists as providers under Medicare ensures patient care is available close to home, by trusted members of the healthcare team,” said Kate Gainer, Executive Vice President & CEO of the Iowa Pharmacy Association.
 
“Patients living in medically underserved communities often struggle to access the care they need, and pharmacists have proven to be an essential source of care for these patients. This important legislation helps ensure seniors living in rural and other underserved communities have improved access to the care they need from a pharmacist they trust. As pharmacists, we are grateful to Senator Grassley for his leadership in addressing gaps in access to pharmacist care,” said Ilisa BG Bernstein, PharmD, JD, FAPhA, Interim Executive Vice President and CEO, and Paul W. Abramowitz, PharmD, ScD(Hon), FASHP, CEO of American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.
 
The full text of the legislation is available HERE.
 
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