Smith in Washington Times: A Handshake, Hard Work, and Healthcare Access

Today, Congressman Adrian Smith (NE-03) penned an op-ed in the Washington Times urging his colleagues in Congress to help cut through the bureaucratic barriers that are preventing seniors in rural and underserved areas from getting the prompt, expert care they deserve by passing his Main Street Pharmacy Access Act.

Click here to read the full op-ed or read an excerpt below:

Pharmacists are the most accessible healthcare professionals in America. Nearly nine in ten Americans live within five miles of a pharmacy. In rural communities, pharmacists often serve as the first point of care. They fill gaps in our healthcare system every day, offering trusted advice, quick testing and timely treatment.

But here is the problem: A person might get tested and treated for several common respiratory illnesses by their community pharmacist their entire life. But the day that person turns 65 and enrolls in Medicare, they can no longer go to the pharmacist for those services - Medicare doesn't cover those services when provided by a pharmacist. Private insurance covers it. Medicaid covers it. Medicare does not. Sadly, many seniors find out about this lack of coverage when they are sick at the pharmacist's counter, forced to go somewhere else to receive care.

This is not just illogical. It also leaves seniors in rural America with fewer options and longer drives for basic care. Fortunately, I introduced the Main Street Pharmacy Access Act to solve this discrepancy.

My bill takes a practical, targeted approach to fixing a real problem. It allows Medicare to reimburse pharmacists for testing and treating common respiratory illnesses - just as private insurance and Medicaid already do. Importantly, it does not change scope of practice. States remain fully in control of what pharmacists are allowed to do. My bill just says this: If a state allows pharmacists to provide these services, Medicare should cover them.

This is about access. This is about fairness. This is about making life easier for seniors who have spent their lives contributing to our communities.