A bipartisan proposal would allow pharmacists to administer such basic care such as immunizations, diabetes management, blood pressure screenings, and routine checks to Medicare beneficiaries. From piloting mental health services to expanding offerings in underserved communities, pharmacies are taking on a greater role in health care delivery.
Counseling from CVS
In January, CVS began a pilot program providing mental health care at some of its retail stores in Florida, Pennsylvania, and Texas. The program is expected to expand to 34 locations later this year in those three states, plus New Jersey.
Recommended For You
As NPR.org reports, "the program is an extension of the CVS HealthHUBs, which exist in 650 of its nearly 10,000 stores, offering urgent care and wellness products, such as sleep apnea machines. The idea is to create a place where consumers can get eye exams, diabetes screenings, and vaccinations, as well as mental health treatment, where they already buy their prescriptions. … This new model might lower a barrier to care for some by bringing the service closer to home, although that's not the biggest hurdle for most consumers."
"The No. 1 issue, over and over and over again in the research, is cost," Vaile Wright, senior director of health care innovation at the American Psychological Association, told NPR, adding that if CVS cannot sufficiently reduce out-of-pocket costs for enough consumers, "it's not going to bridge the gap as much we would like."
CVS, which purchased Aetna in 2018, "is covering the cost of care for Aetna-insured patients and has negotiated similar deals with a growing list of other insurers to reduce the cost for patients," according to NPR.
The behavioral health services at the pilot CVS HealthHUB locations are available during standard HealthHUB hours, according to a statement from CVS Health. Appointments are available days, evenings, and weekends, and sessions are held in private consultation rooms. Consumers can opt to for in-person face-to-face visits or telehealth sessions.
Pharmacists in underserved communities
Meanwhile, a bipartisan bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives last month aims to make it easier for Medicare patients in underserved communities to receive care from pharmacists.
The Pharmacy and Medically Underserved Areas Enhancement Act, introduced by Rep. G.K. Butterfield (D-N.C.) and Rep. David B. McKinley (R-W.Va.), would allow pharmacists to administer such basic care such as immunizations, diabetes management, blood pressure screenings, and routine checks to Medicare beneficiaries.
Currently, Butterfield noted in a statement, no avenue exists for Medicare to directly reimburse pharmacists for providing this care. As a result, Medicare patients in underserved areas — which often include rural communities — are forced to travel to the doctor for these basic services. This creates substantial burdens in many cases, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, when access to healthcare providers is limited. The proposed bill would allow Medicare to reimburse pharmacists who provide care in these underserved communities.
"Pharmacists in eastern North Carolina are helping people to live longer, healthier, and more fulfilling lives," Butterfield said, referring to the region he represents in Congress. "But providing those services doesn't come without a cost." He added the bill "will keep [Medicare beneficiaries] healthier and control health costs."
© 2025 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.
