2023 -- S 0103

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LC001050

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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: Senators Kallman, McKenney, Euer, Miller, Mack, DiMario, Lauria,
LaMountain, and Pearson

     Date Introduced: February 01, 2023

     Referred To: Senate Health & Human Services

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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

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by adding thereto the following section:

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

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

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

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     (b) The state board of pharmacy shall adopt rules to implement the provisions of subsection

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(a) of this section, after consultation with the Rhode Island medical board, the Rhode Island state

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board of nursing and the Rhode Island department of health, and after consideration of guidelines

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established by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

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     (c) A pharmacist shall be required to:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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hormonal contraceptive;

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

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

 

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practitioner; and

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

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issues the prescription.

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

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

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section.

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

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

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

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

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Contraceptives prescribed and dispensed pursuant to this section, including contraceptive

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

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

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

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pharmacists that are eligible to prescribe.

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     (g) When authorized to prescribe and dispense contraceptives pursuant to the provisions of

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subsection (b) of this section, pharmacies shall display signs in stores and on websites indicating

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on-site, behind-the-counter availability of contraceptives.

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     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,

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

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pharmacy.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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