S. 2800

119 S2800 IS: Pharmacy and Medically Underserved Areas Enhancement Act
 U.S. Senate
 2025-09-15
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  II
  119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
  S. 2800
  IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
  September 15, 2025
  Mr. Grassley  (for himself and  Mr. Luján ) introduced the following bill; which was
  read twice and referred to the  Committee on
  Finance
  A BILL
To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for coverage
  under the Medicare program of pharmacist services.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Pharmacy and Medically Underserved Areas Enhancement Act  .
2.
Medicare coverage of pharmacist services
(a)
Coverage
Section 1861(s)(2) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395x(s)(2) ) is amended—
(1)
in subparagraph (JJ), by inserting  and  at the end; and
(2)
by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
(KK)
pharmacist services furnished by a pharmacist, as licensed by State law, individually or on behalf of a pharmacy provider—
(i)
which the pharmacist is legally authorized to perform in the State in which the individual performs such services;
(ii)
as would otherwise be covered under this part if furnished by a physician, or as an incident to a physician’s service; and
(iii)
in a setting located in a health professional shortage area (as defined in section 332(a)(1)(A) of the Public Health Service Act), medically underserved area, or medically underserved population (as defined in section 330(b)(3) of such Act);
  .
(b)
Payment
Section 1833(a)(1) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395l(a)(1) ) is amended—
(1)
by striking  and (HH)  and inserting  (HH) ; and
(2)
by inserting before the semicolon at the end the following:  , and (II) with respect to pharmacist services (as defined in section 1861(s)(2)(KK)), the amounts paid shall be equal to 80 percent of the lesser of the actual charge or 85 percent of the fee schedule amount provided under section 1848 if such services had been furnished by a physician .
(c)
Effective date; Pharmacist specific codes
(1)
Effective date
The amendments made by subsections (a) and (b) shall apply with respect to services furnished on or after January 1, 2027.
(2)
Pharmacist specific codes
The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall develop pharmacist specific codes, as necessary, under the physician fee schedule under section 1848 of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395w–4 ).