June 26, 2026 | Category: Uncategorized
In case you missed it — Representative Adrian Smith (NE-03), lead sponsor of the Main Street Pharmacy Access Act (H.R. 3164), published an op-ed in The Washington Times this week making the case for the bill, the top legislative priority for the Future of Pharmacy Care Coalition.
The Main Street Pharmacy Access Act takes a targeted approach to a real gap in Medicare. Private insurance and Medicaid already reimburse pharmacists for testing and treating common illnesses like flu and strep throat — but Medicare does not. The bill would close that gap, allowing Medicare to reimburse pharmacists for those services in states that already authorize pharmacists to provide them. Importantly, it does not change scope of practice — states remain fully in control of what pharmacists are permitted to do.
Drawing on his rural Nebraska district, Smith lays out a problem patients can hit without warning: a person can rely on their neighborhood pharmacist to test for and treat common illnesses for years, then lose that coverage the day they turn 65 and enroll in Medicare.
In his own words:
“Pharmacists are the most accessible healthcare professionals in America. Nearly nine in ten Americans live within five miles of a pharmacy. In rural communities, pharmacists often serve as the first point of care. They fill gaps in our healthcare system every day, offering trusted advice, quick testing and timely treatment.”
For seniors, the gap can surface at the worst possible moment, as Smith writes: “Sadly, many seniors find out about this lack of coverage when they are sick at the pharmacist’s counter, forced to go somewhere else to receive care.”
The momentum behind the legislation is real and bipartisan. The bill passed the House Committee on Ways and Means in May by voice vote. Support among Congressional lawmakers for H.R. 3164, and its companion legislation in the Senate (S. 2426), is notable, as more than a quarter of the Congress has co-sponsored the legislation in their respective chambers. Over 170 organizations support H.R. 3164 / S. 2426, including senior and rural advocacy groups, provider groups, patient advocacy organizations, pharmacists, health systems, and many others.
About the Future of Pharmacy Care Coalition
The Future of Pharmacy Care Coalition is a group representing pharmacists and community pharmacies of all sizes serving millions of patients daily across the United States. Coalition members supporting the legislation include Abbott, American Pharmacists Association (APhA), American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), Cardinal Health, Cencora, CVS Health, Good Neighbor Pharmacy, Health Mart, Kroger, McKesson, Medicine Shoppe, National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS), National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA), Walgreens, Walmart, and XiFin, Inc.
Critical Role of America’s Pharmacists
- Pharmacists are the Most Accessible Healthcare Provider. Nine in 10 Americans live within five miles of a pharmacy, and patients visit their community pharmacist approximately twice as frequently as they visit primary care physicians.
- Pharmacists are Often the Only Qualified Healthcare Provider for Rural Americans. Rural Americans often rely on pharmacists as the only qualified healthcare provider in their community.
- Pharmacists Help Keep Seniors, Particularly Those Living in Rural & Other Underserved Communities, Healthy. More than half of pharmacists (55%) work in a community-based setting and 77% of community pharmacies serve populations of 50,000 or fewer.
MEDIA CONTACT: BOB SIGGINS
About the Future of Pharmacy Care Coalition
The Future of Pharmacy Care Coalition is a group representing pharmacists and community pharmacies of all sizes serving millions of patients daily across the United States. Coalition members supporting the legislation include Abbott, American Pharmacists Association (APhA), American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), Cardinal Health, Cencora, CVS Health, Good Neighbor Pharmacy, Health Mart, Kroger, McKesson, Medicine Shoppe, National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS), Walgreens, and Walmart.