New ad campaign calls on lawmakers to preserve seniors’ access to long-term care pharmacies

DATE: December 9, 2025

By Foster Stubbs | McKnight’s Long-Term Care News

The Senior Care Pharmacy Coalition (SCPC) unveiled a new ad campaign that calls on Congress to pass the Preserving Patient Access to Long-Term Care Pharmacies Act (HR 5031/S 3159) and highlights the negative effects recent Medicare Part D drug pricing policy changes have had on seniors’ ability to access needed prescriptions.

“We’re facing a serious long-term care crisis if Congress or the Trump Administration doesn’t swiftly act to protect seniors’ access to essential medications and pharmacy services,” Alan Rosenbloom, president and CEO of SCPC said in a statement. “When Medicare-negotiated drug prices take effect on January 1, 2026, LTC pharmacies will face significant financial challenges that could force many to close their doors. If LTC pharmacies close, nursing homes and other long-term care facilities will fall out of compliance, and seniors will lose access to around-the-clock pharmacy services they depend on.  It’s a dangerous domino effect that puts both quality of care and patient safety at risk.”

Spending on Part D benefits is estimated to total $140 billion in 2026, about 11% of total spending on all Medicare-covered benefits. Updates to Medicare Part D will set a cap of $2,100 on out-of-pocket drug spending. Part D enrollees will pay a deductible of $615, up from $590 in 2024, and will then pay 25% of their drug costs in the initial coverage phase until their out-of-pocket spending totals $2,100. Additionally, drug manufacturers must pay a rebate to the federal government if prices for drugs covered under Part D and Part B increase faster than the rate of inflation. 

Seniors in long-term care take an average of 13 medications each day, and eight of the first 10 drugs subject to Medicare’s price negotiations are some of the most commonly dispensed in long-term care settings, according to the coalition. Long-term care pharmacies will be vulnerable to the impact posed by the new pricing model, the coalition noted. They provide unique services that cannot be matched by retail pharmacies such as clinical consulting, 24/7/365 medication management, specialized unit-dose packaging, and emergency delivery.

Read the full article on McKnight’s Long-Term Care News here