Southern West Virginia News

Yesterday, a group of bipartisan lawmakers reintroduced the Seniors’ Access to Critical Medications Act, aiming to extend a waiver initially issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The proposed legislation seeks to allow Medicare patients to receive their essential medications through the mail or have caregivers and family members collect them on their behalf for the next five years.

Congresswoman Carol Miller from West Virginia, alongside colleagues Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger of Tennessee, Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida, Congressman Dan Crenshaw of Texas, and Congressman Darren Soto of Florida, are advocating for the bill. They believe it addresses a significant issue for Medicare beneficiaries who face challenges access to medications due to current CMS restrictions.

"It is vital that people who are dealing with old age or life-threatening illnesses can easily access necessary prescriptions," stated Congresswoman Miller. She emphasized the difficulties faced by patients in her state, highlighting the extended travel times required to reach healthcare providers or pharmacists. The legislation, she explained, is intended to remove barriers that currently prevent Medicare patients from getting vital treatment.

Congresswoman Harshbarger also addressed the challenges faced by residents in her rural district in East Tennessee. "My district in East Tennessee is extremely rural, so for many folks, getting to their healthcare specialist or a pharmacy to pick up a prescription is difficult enough as it is," she said. Highlighting the value of receiving medications by mail during the COVID-19 pandemic, she stressed the importance of making life easier for vulnerable populations through this legislation.

The bill seeks to reinstate a policy from the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE), which allowed independent physicians to mail medications to Medicare patients or have them delivered by a caregiver or family member. This policy was reversed, causing delays and challenges for patients with serious conditions like cancer in obtaining timely treatment.

For those in rural areas, accessing a doctor's office can be particularly difficult due to distance and lack of transportation. This proposed legislation intends to alleviate these challenges by ensuring continued access to medications either by mail or through caregivers.