2023 -- H 5282

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LC001123

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- PHARMACIES

     Introduced By: Representatives Vella-Wilkinson, Noret, Morales, Diaz, Lima, Donovan,
Ackerman, McNamara, Bennett, and J. Lombardi

     Date Introduced: February 01, 2023

     Referred To: House Health & Human Services

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Chapter 5-19.1 of the General Laws entitled "Pharmacies" is hereby amended

by adding thereto the following section:

     5-19.1-36. Pharmacists -- Contraceptives -- Prescribing.

     (a) In accordance with chapter 19.1 of title 5 and adopted by the state board of pharmacy,

a pharmacist may prescribe and dispense all short-term, FDA-approved hormonal contraceptives.

     (b) The state board of pharmacy shall adopt rules to establish, in consultation with the

Rhode Island medical board, the Rhode Island state board of nursing and the Rhode Island

department of health, and in consideration of guidelines established by the American College of

Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

     (c) A pharmacist shall be required to:

     (1) Complete educational training approved by the state board of pharmacy that is related

to prescribing hormonal contraceptives. This training shall include training on counseling on all

methods of FDA-approved contraceptives, including those the pharmacist is not able to prescribe;

     (2) Provide a self-screening risk assessment tool, based on the current version of the U.S.

Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use developed by the Federal Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention, that the patient must complete prior to the pharmacist's prescribing the

hormonal contraceptive;

     (3) Provide the patient with a written record of the hormonal contraceptive prescribed and

dispensed and advise the patient to consult with a primary care practitioner or women's health care

practitioner; and

     (4) Dispense the contraceptives to the patient as soon as practicable after the pharmacist

issues the prescription.

     (d) All state and federal laws governing insurance coverage of contraceptive drugs,

devices, products and services shall apply to contraceptives prescribed by a pharmacist under this

section.

     (e) Any individual health plan or group health plan and any health coverage through

Medicaid or any equivalent state-sponsored Medicaid program shall cover hormonal contraceptives

that are prescribed and dispensed by a pharmacist, including contraceptive counseling, if those

contraceptives would otherwise be covered if prescribed by another type of health care provider.

Contraceptives prescribed and dispensed pursuant to this section, including contraceptive

counseling, shall be covered if provided by an out-of-network pharmacist.

     (f) The Rhode Island state pharmacy board should track and report on accessibility and use,

including the number and geographic locations of participating pharmacy stores; and number of

pharmacists that are eligible to prescribe.

     (g) Pharmacies should display signs in stores and on websites indicating on-site, behind-

the-counter availability of contraceptives.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- PHARMACIES

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     This act would authorize a pharmacist to prescribe and dispense hormonal contraceptives,

provided that the pharmacist has completed a training program approved by the state board of

pharmacy.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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