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Seniors’ Access to Critical Medications Act of 2024

H.R. 5526 Rep. Diana Harshbarger (R-TN-1) Passed House
Bill text PDF
  1. Introduced Sep 18
  2. Committee Sep 18
  3. Passed House Sep 23
  4. Passed Senate Next
  5. To President Not yet
  6. Law Not yet
Where it stands
Passed House, Sep 23, 2024Next: Senate vote
764d ago Sep 24, 2024: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Final votes
No roll callsNo recorded vote on this bill yet
Lobbying
2companies, 5 filings
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2trades in the last 90 days
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Biotech & Pharma 1Medical Devices & Healthcare 1
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Summary

Seniors’ Access to Critical Medications Act of 2024

Full summary3 paragraphs

This bill temporarily allows physicians to dispense outpatient prescription drugs and related supplies under the Medicare prescription drug benefit to patients via mail or to their caregivers without violating certain prohibitions under the Stark law (i.e., the Physician Self-Referral Law), if certain conditions are met. It also allows for coverage of certain external infusion pumps and associated home infusion drugs under Medicare.

Current law requires physicians to dispense outpatient prescription drugs and related supplies to patients in their office buildings in order to qualify for an exception (the in-office ancillary services exception) under the Stark law. The bill specifies that, from January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2029, physicians may dispense outpatient prescription drugs and related supplies to their patients via mail, and individuals or their family members or caregivers may pick up such items at the physician's office building, if the individual (1) had a face-to-face visit with the prescriber in the prior year, not including telehealth visits; (2) the prescriber furnished other items or services to the individual in the prior year; and (3) the prescriber has an ongoing professional relationship with the individual.

In addition, the bill specifies that external infusion pumps and associated home infusion drugs may be covered under Medicare even if they don't meet certain regulatory requirements, if these items are provided in accordance with the bill's specified criteria, including that the drug is administered under the supervision of a qualified home infusion therapy supplier.

Library of Congress summary, Sep 23, 2024

Summary versions
  • Passed HouseSep 23, 2024
  • Introduced in HouseSep 18, 2023

Official record from Congress.gov, the House Clerk and the Senate; lobbying from Lobbying Disclosure Act filings. Updated Oct 28, 2026.