2025 -- H 6038

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LC002338

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS -- PHARMACIES

     Introduced By: Representatives Ajello, McGaw, Alzate, Speakman, Boylan, Donovan,
Cotter, Carson, Tanzi, and Felix

     Date Introduced: March 07, 2025

     Referred To: House Health & Human Services

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 5-19.1-36 of the General Laws in Chapter 5-19.1 entitled

"Pharmacies" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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

     (a) In accordance with this chapter 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 healthcare

practitioner;

     (4) Notify the patient’s primary care provider that the pharmacist prescribed and/or

dispensed a short-term, FDA-approved hormonal contraceptive. If the patient does not have a

primary care provider, or refuses consent to notify the patient’s primary care provider, the

pharmacist shall provide the patient a list of physicians, clinics, or other healthcare providers to

contact regarding follow-up care; and

     (5) 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; provided, however, an initial prescription issued pursuant to the provisions of this section

shall be limited to up to a three-month (3) supply.

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

commercial health plan 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 healthcare provider.

     (f) The Rhode Island state board of pharmacy 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 BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS -- PHARMACIES

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     This act would amend the current law so that initial contraceptive prescriptions would no

longer be limited to a three-month supply. The act would also provide that the state board of

pharmacy adopt rules only in consultation with Rhode Island department of health, and no longer

in consultation with the Rhode Island medical board and the Rhode Island state board of nursing.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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