SB 211

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 include a

self-assessment questionnaire, developed in consideration of guidelines established

by the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, that must be used by

a pharmacist when prescribing a contraceptive. 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; 2) the use of the contraceptive is not contraindicated based upon

the results of the questionnaire and screening; and 3) the patient acknowledges on

the self-assessment questionnaire that a 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

hormonal contraceptive treatment and other routine preventive care. 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 DHS to 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.