2022 -- S 2330 | |
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LC004185 | |
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022 | |
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A N A C T | |
RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- PHARMACIES | |
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Introduced By: Senators Anderson, Mack, Calkin, Miller, Acosta, Valverde, Quezada, | |
Date Introduced: February 15, 2022 | |
Referred To: Senate Health & Human Services | |
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: | |
1 | SECTION 1. Chapter 5-19.1 of the General Laws entitled "Pharmacies" is hereby amended |
2 | by adding thereto the following section: |
3 | 5-19.1-36. Pharmacists -- Contraceptives -- Prescribing. |
4 | (a) In accordance with chapter 19.1 of title 5 and adopted by the state board of pharmacy, |
5 | a pharmacist may prescribe and dispense all short-term, FDA-approved hormonal contraceptives. |
6 | (b) The state board of pharmacy shall adopt rules to establish, in consultation with the |
7 | Rhode Island medical board, the Rhode Island state board of nursing and the Rhode Island |
8 | department of health, and in consideration of guidelines established by the American College of |
9 | Obstetricians and Gynecologists. |
10 | (c) A pharmacist shall be required to: |
11 | (1) Complete a training program approved by the state board of pharmacy that is related to |
12 | prescribing hormonal contraceptives. This training program shall include training on counseling on |
13 | all methods of FDA-approved contraceptives, including those the pharmacist is not able to |
14 | prescribe; |
15 | (2) Provide a self-screening risk assessment tool, based on the current version of the U.S. |
16 | Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use developed by the Federal Centers for Disease |
17 | Control and Prevention, that the patient must complete prior to the pharmacist's prescribing the |
18 | hormonal contraceptive; |
19 | (3) Refer the patient to the patient's primary care practitioner or women's health care |
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1 | practitioner upon prescribing and dispensing the hormonal contraceptive patch or self-administered |
2 | oral hormonal contraceptive; |
3 | (4) Provide the patient with a written record of the hormonal contraceptive prescribed and |
4 | dispensed and advise the patient to consult with a primary care practitioner or women's health care |
5 | practitioner; and |
6 | (5) Dispense the contraceptives to the patient as soon as practicable after the pharmacist |
7 | issues the prescription. |
8 | (d) All state and federal laws governing insurance coverage of contraceptive drugs, |
9 | devices, products and services shall apply to contraceptives prescribed by a pharmacist under this |
10 | section. |
11 | (e) Any individual health plan or group health plan and any health coverage through |
12 | Medicaid or any equivalent state-sponsored Medicaid program shall cover hormonal contraceptives |
13 | that are prescribed and dispensed by a pharmacist, including contraceptive counseling, if those |
14 | contraceptives would otherwise be covered if prescribed by another type of health care provider. |
15 | Contraceptives prescribed and dispensed pursuant to this section, including contraceptive |
16 | counseling, shall be covered if provided by an out-of-network pharmacist. |
17 | (f) The Rhode Island state pharmacy board should track and report on accessibility and use, |
18 | including the number and geographic locations of participating pharmacy stores; number of |
19 | pharmacists that have successfully completed the training protocol; and whether contraceptives are |
20 | adequately stocked in stores. |
21 | (g) Pharmacies should display signs in stores and on websites indicating on-site, behind- |
22 | the-counter availability of contraceptives. |
23 | SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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LC004185 | |
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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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1 | This act would authorize a pharmacist to prescribe and dispense hormonal contraceptives, |
2 | provided that the pharmacist has completed a training program approved by the state board of |
3 | pharmacy. |
4 | This act would take effect upon passage. |
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