Preserving Patient Access to Long-Term Care Pharmacies Act

Key Points

• This bill would require Medicare drug plans to pay a special $30 "supply fee" to pharmacies that serve long-term care facilities, like nursing homes. This extra payment applies to specific prescriptions in 2026 and 2027 to help these pharmacies cover their costs.
• The policy helps seniors living in long-term care facilities by making sure their pharmacies can afford to stay in business. Insurance companies would be required to pay these fees on top of what they already pay for the medicine and basic service.
• Many long-term care pharmacies face financial pressure. By adding this fee, the bill aims to prevent pharmacy closures that could leave vulnerable patients without a reliable way to get their daily medications.
• The federal government would eventually pay back the insurance companies for these extra fees. If an insurance company refuses to pay the pharmacy, they could face a fine of at least $10,000 for every missed payment.
• The bill also orders a government study to look at the long-term survival of these pharmacies. This study will help Congress decide on a more permanent way to pay them so that patients in rural areas and nursing homes always have access to care.

Impact Analysis

Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.