Bipartisan focus on H.R. 3164 marks another step toward ensuring seniors can access care at their local pharmacy.

This week, the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Health held a legislative hearing titled "Examining Legislative Proposals to Reform Medicare Provider Payment and Bolster Health Care Cybersecurity," focusing in part on H.R. 3164 (the Ensuring Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act / Main Street Pharmacy Access Act).

This hearing builds on the bill's momentum from May, when the House Ways and Means Committee marked up and passed H.R. 3164, a significant step toward giving seniors easier access to care at their neighborhood pharmacy. Members of Congress who are championing the bill are positioning it for possible inclusion in post-election legislation, should the opportunity for such legislation develop.

The hearing is the result of sustained advocacy by NACDS, member companies, and other allies in the Future of Pharmacy Care Coalition in support of H.R. 3164 and its Senate companion, S. 2426.

H.R. 3164 enjoys the support of 38 members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, a majority of the panel, including Health Subcommittee Chairman Morgan Griffith (R-VA), who voiced his support during his opening statement:

"Another bill before us is the Ensuring Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act, or ECAPS, led by Representative Smith of Nebraska and Representative Schneider of Illinois.

This legislation would expand Medicare coverage for certain pharmacist services, such as pharmacist-provided testing.

Community pharmacists are often among the most accessible providers in rural areas, which makes this legislation important for communities such as my district where many patients consider the pharmacy a critical point of care."