(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Today, the House Ways and Means Committee is marking up HR 3164, the Ensuring Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act (ECAPS). The Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (PCMA) supports the legislation’s objective to expand access to care for seniors by allowing Medicare to reimburse pharmacists for important clinical care services they provide to patients.

In support of the legislation, David Marin, President and CEO of PCMA, released the following statement:

“For millions of Americans, a pharmacist is the care provider they most often see and trust, and we should be empowering and properly compensating these health professionals for that care. The bipartisan ECAPS Act recognizes the critical role pharmacists already play in delivering health care services, especially to seniors and patients in rural and underserved communities. It helps ensure that Medicare keeps pace with how care is actually delivered in communities across the country.

“Pharmacies are important partners for pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). We can’t do our work without them. That’s why PBMs offer innovative, transparent reimbursement programs, provide higher reimbursement to rural pharmacies, and build pharmacy networks to support independent pharmacies. Together, these approaches can reduce strain on the broader health care system while delivering high-quality care closer to home.”