ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

HB 2075: electronic prescribing; exceptions; deadlines

PRIME SPONSOR: Representative Cobb, LD 5

BILL STATUS: Health and Human Services

Overview

Extends the electronic prescription requirement deadline to January 1, 2020. 

History

The Arizona Opioid Epidemic Act was added by Laws 2018, Chapter 1 of the First Special Session. The legislation in part contained prohibitions and limitations for schedule II drugs that are opioids, established regulations for pain clinics, and established the Substance Use Disorder Fund.

A.R.S. § 36-2525 outlines procedures and information that must be contained on prescription orders for prescription-only drugs.  The Arizona Opioid Epidemic Act requires electronic prescribing of a Schedule II controlled substance in counties with a population of more than 150,000 persons beginning January 1, 2019 and for counties with a population of less than 150,000 the electronic prescribing deadline is July 1, 2019.

Provisions

1. Extends the electronic prescription order deadline for all counties until January 1, 2020. (Sec. 1)

2. Allows a medical practitioner to write or issue an oral prescription order in emergency situations for a Schedule II controlled substance during any time-period in which an established electronic prescribing system is not operational or available in a timely manner. (Sec. I)

3. States the pharmacist must maintain a record of when the electronic prescribing system is not operational or available in a timely manner. (Sec. 1)

4. Specifies that a pharmacist may dispense a written prescription order for a Schedule II controlled substance that is an opioid when the order indicates that the medical practitioner provided care for the patient in a Veterans Administration Facility, a health facility on a military base, an Indian health services hospital or other Indian health services facility, or a tribal-owned clinic. (Sec. 1)  

5. Allows a medical practitioner or their agent to transmit to a pharmacy by fax a prescription order written for a Schedule II controlled substance, including opioids, if the prescription order is for a patient being discharged from a hospital to another licensed health care institution. (Sec. 1)

6. Eliminates the language allowing the Arizona State Board of Pharmacy (Board) to grant a waiver to the electronic prescribing requirement. (Sec. 1)

7. Specifies the Board may prescribe by rule additional exceptions to the electronic prescribing requirements for both pharmacists and medical practitioners. (Sec. 1)

8. Makes this act retroactive to January 1, 2019. (Sec 2)

9. Contains an emergency clause. (Sec. 3)

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13. Fifty-fourth Legislature                       HB 2075

14. First Regular Session                            Version 1: HHS

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