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Medicare Coverage for Pharmacist Services in Underserved Areas

This act aims to expand the range of medical services available to Medicare beneficiaries. It allows pharmacists in areas with a shortage of doctors to provide certain services previously reserved for physicians. This is intended to improve access to healthcare, especially in rural and sparsely populated regions.
Key points
Medicare will cover certain services provided by pharmacists, if they are legally authorized by state law.
Pharmacist services will be available in areas with medical professional shortages, such as medically underserved areas.
Payments for pharmacist services will be 80% of the lesser of the actual charge or 85% of the physician fee schedule amount.
The changes will take effect on January 1, 2022, and the government will develop specific codes for pharmacist services.
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Additional Information
Print number: 117_HR_2759
Sponsor: Rep. Butterfield, G. K. [D-NC-1]
Process start date: 2021-04-22
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Summarized by: gemini-2.5-flash-preview-05-20
Source data: api.congress.gov
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OFFICIAL LEGAL TITLE

Pharmacy and Medically Underserved Areas Enhancement Act

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the official ID of this bill?

The official print number for this legislation is 117_HR_2759.

Which chamber initiated this legislation?

This legislation was initiated in the House of Representatives.

When did the legislative process begin?

The process officially started on 2021-04-22.

What are the main provisions?

Key points include:

  • Medicare will cover certain services provided by pharmacists, if they are legally authorized by state law.
  • Pharmacist services will be available in areas with medical professional shortages, such as medically underserved areas.
  • Payments for pharmacist services will be 80% of the lesser of the actual charge or 85% of the physician fee schedule amount.
  • The changes will take effect on January 1, 2022, and the government will develop specific codes for pharmacist services.
What is the specific legal status?

The current status is Expired.

Where can I read the full text of this legislation?

The full official text is available at: View full text

Who is the primary sponsor?

The primary sponsor is Rep. Butterfield, G. K. [D-NC-1].

What is the latest detailed status?

The latest detailed status is: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Is this summary verified?

Yes. This content was analyzed by AI and verified by the Lustra Judge System on 2025-12-27.

CATEGORIES

Health