AB 176

This bill permits a pharmacist to prescribe and dispense hormonal

contraceptive patches and self-administered oral hormonal contraceptives, subject

to limitations described as follows.

The bill requires the Pharmacy Examining Board, after consultation with the

Medical Examining Board, the Board of Nursing, and the Department of Health

Services, to promulgate rules to establish standard procedures for the prescribing of

contraceptives by pharmacists under the bill. The rules must require that

pharmacists use a self-assessment questionnaire, developed in consideration of

guidelines established by the American Congress of Obstetricians and

Gynecologists, when prescribing a contraceptive. The self-assessment

questionnaire must state and the patient must acknowledge on the self-assessment

questionnaire that a hormonal contraceptive patch or a self-administered oral

hormonal contraceptive is not protection against sexually transmitted diseases, and

that it is strongly recommended that the patient annually meet with a physician or

other medical professional to discuss the patient's prescribed hormonal

contraceptive treatment and other routine preventive care.

Further, under the bill, the rules must include certain requirements for

pharmacists prescribing contraceptives, such as 1) requiring a report to the patient's

primary health care practitioner following a prescription; and 2) requiring the

contraceptive to be dispensed as soon as practicable after the pharmacist issues the

prescription order. In addition, the rules must prohibit a pharmacist from

prescribing or dispensing a contraceptive to a patient unless 1) the patient has

responded to the self-assessment questionnaire and undergone a blood pressure

screening; and 2) the use of the contraceptive is not contraindicated based upon the

results of the questionnaire and screening. A pharmacist who prescribes

contraceptives as permitted under the bill must comply with those rules, as well as

any other rules promulgated by the Pharmacy Examining Board. Finally, under the

bill, a pharmacist may prescribe a contraceptive only to a person who is at least 18

years of age.

The bill further requires that DHS must ensure any contraceptives or

contraceptive services covered under the Medical Assistance program are covered

and reimbursed when prescribed, if a prescription is required under federal law, or

provided by a pharmacist acting under the scope of his or her practice. The Medical

Assistance program is a joint federal and state program that provides health services

to individuals who have limited financial resources. The bill also requires DHS to

certify pharmacists as providers of Medical Assistance services for the purposes of

covering and reimbursing prescribed hormonal contraceptive patches and

self-administered oral hormonal contraceptives.