Witnesses press Medicare coverage for pharmacist "test-and-treat" services to preserve rural access

WASHINGTON — Community pharmacists and lawmakers told a House Ways and Means subcommittee that expanding Medicare coverage for pharmacist-provided services could keep care local, reduce emergency visits and stabilize independent pharmacies in rural areas.

Lisonbee Reichert, a pharmacist and vice president of operations at Bodie Drug, described community pharmacies as "the front door to the health-care system" in rural Illinois and said pharmacists perform screenings, immunizations and chronic-disease monitoring. She told the panel that "community pharmacists represent a currently underutilized health-care resource" and urged support for HR 3164, the Ensuring Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act (ECAPS), which would allow Medicare reimbursement for certain pharmacist-provided testing and treatment.

Reichert said pharmacies often communicate with physicians by phone and that "enhanced interoperability" would improve coordination with primary-care providers. Members pressing for rural access noted pharmacy closures in 2024 and asked how ECAPS could help preserve local capacity; Reichert replied that reimbursing pharmacist services would shift care from distant emergency departments back into community settings and help sustain local businesses.

Committee members underscored that community pharmacists frequently act as first-line clinicians when primary care is scarce. Reichert recounted typical pharmacist activities: monitoring blood pressures, reviewing lab values, identifying adverse drug events, and counseling patients. The panel did not vote on ECAPS; members encouraged further review and indicated interest in legislation that would enable pharmacists to practice "at the top of their license."