Senators introduce bill to preserve pharmacy access for beneficiaries
By HME News Staff
Updated 1:23 PM CDT, Thu July 24, 2025
WASHINGTON — Sens. John Thune, R-S.D., and Mark Warner, D-Va., today reintroduced the Equitable Community Access to Pharmacist Services (ECAPS) Act, bipartisan legislation that would allow Medicare to reimburse for certain pharmacist-administered tests, treatments, and vaccinations for illnesses like influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and strep throat, in accordance with state scope-of-practice laws. “Seniors across South Dakota rely on the care and support they receive from their community pharmacists,” said Thune. “I am proud to lead this commonsense legislation that would allow these services and other important treatments to remain a reliable option for seniors, particularly in our rural communities.” During the pandemic, pharmacists stepped up to meet urgent health care needs, especially in underserved and rural communities, said Warner. “This bill builds on that progress by making sure seniors can continue to count on their local pharmacists for routine tests, vaccines, and treatments for common illnesses like flu and COVID,” he said. “This is a practical step to improve access to care, reduce the burden on hospitals and clinics, and make our health system work better for seniors.”
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