Senior Care Pharmacy Coalition and Nation's Long-Term Care Leaders Rally Behind H.R. 5031 to Protect Senior Access to Meds

The Preserving Patient Access to Long-Term Care Pharmacies Act (H.R. 5031) Is Crucial for Ensuring Future of Long-Term Care and Essential Pharmacy Services

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--America’s leading long-term care voices are unified in their call for urgent action to avert a looming crisis that could impact access to care for millions of seniors across the country. The American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL), LeadingAge, and Argentum, the leading national organizations for providers in nursing homes, assisted living and other long-term care (LTC) settings, joined the Senior Care Pharmacy Coalition (SCPC) in urging passage of H.R. 5031, Preserving Patient Access to Long-Term Care Pharmacies Act.

More than five million Medicare beneficiaries require long-term care and 25 percent of them are living in either skilled nursing, nursing homes, intermediate care facilities or assisted living communities. Each of these settings depends on LTC pharmacies as a lifeline for safe, coordinated and consistent medication management. Without immediate action from Congress or the Administration to address the unintended impacts of Medicare Part D price negotiations, many LTC pharmacies may soon be forced to close– jeopardizing patient safety, access to medicines, and compliance for LTC facilities.

Introduced by Representatives Beth Van Duyne (R-TX-24), Brad Schneider (D-IL-10), Buddy Carter (R-GA-1), Brian Jack (R-GA-3), Sharice Davids (D-KS-3), and Deborah Ross (D-NC-2), H.R. 5031 provides a targeted, practical solution: establishing a $30 supplemental supply fee for drugs subject to Medicare price negotiations when dispensed by LTC pharmacies. Modeled after a similar Medicare Part B supply fee, this new payment would help offset steep financial losses, ensuring LTC pharmacies can remain viable and continue delivering essential services to more than two million seniors.

“We are grateful to have unified support from across the LTC sector to address this looming long-term care crisis,” said Alan Rosenbloom, President and CEO of SCPC. “There is no substitute for the legally required services that LTC pharmacies provide, such as 24/7/365 medication management, patient-specific packaging, consultant services, and rigorous quality controls. If LTC pharmacies close, residents will lose access to lifesaving medicines and facilities will face compliance challenges, putting their services in jeopardy as well. Congress must act swiftly to pass H.R. 5031 to save senior care.”

The urgency is clear: LTC pharmacies rely almost exclusively on Medicare Part D, and LTC patients disproportionately use eight of the first 10 drugs subject to negotiated prices. When new pricing takes effect on January 1, 2026, LTC pharmacies will face untenable reimbursement gaps without this policy fix.

“Long term care pharmacies are an important part of the continuum of care that serves our nation’s seniors,” said Clif Porter, President and CEO of AHCA/NCAL. “Without these pharmacies, seniors may lose timely access to critical medications and other supports that are essential to their medical care and wellbeing. We support Preserving Patient Access to Long-Term Care Pharmacies Act and encourage Congress to pass this bill on behalf of our most vulnerable populations."

“Older adults living in nursing homes, assisted living, and other LTC communities often manage multiple chronic conditions and rely on an average of 13 prescription drugs per day,” said Katie Smith Sloan, President and CEO of Leading Age. “LTC pharmacies make it possible to deliver safe, high-quality and compassionate care. Protecting their stability is crucial to meeting the needs of our aging population, and we’re proud to stand behind this bill.”

"Long-term care pharmacies are an essential lifeline for residents across senior living communities,” said James Balda, President and CEO of Argentum. “Nearly two-million older Americans call our communities home, with an average age of 85 and high levels of chronic illness, functional impairment, and healthcare utilization. Critically, this population is also largely non-ambulatory, making access to long-term care pharmacies all the more important, particularly in rural areas. We join our industry partners in calling for Congress to preserve patient access to LTC services and pass H.R. 5031 before the end of the year.”

The organizations collectively urge Congress and the Administration to advance H.R. 5031, Preserving Patient Access to Long-Term Care Pharmacies Act, without delay.

A joint letter of support from the organizations is available HERE.

The Senior Care Pharmacy Coalition (SCPC) is the only national organization exclusively representing the interests of long-term care (LTC) pharmacies in Washington, D.C. Its members operate in all 50 states and serve nearly a million patients daily in skilled nursing and assisted living facilities across the country. Visit seniorcarepharmacies.org to learn more.