| Passed by the Senate April 23, 2013 YEAS 48 ________________________________________ President of the Senate Passed by the House April 9, 2013 YEAS 90 ________________________________________ Speaker of the House of Representatives | I, Hunter G. Goodman, Secretary of the Senate of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5459 as passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on the dates hereon set forth. ________________________________________ Secretary | |
| Approved ________________________________________ Governor of the State of Washington | Secretary of State State of Washington |
| State of Washington | 63rd Legislature | 2013 Regular Session |
READ FIRST TIME 02/20/13.
AN ACT Relating to requiring ninety-day supply limits on certain drugs dispensed by a pharmacist; and adding a new section to chapter 18.64 RCW.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 A new section is added to chapter 18.64 RCW
to read as follows:
(1) A pharmacist may dispense not more than a ninety-day supply of
a drug other than a controlled substance pursuant to a valid
prescription that specifies an initial quantity of less than a
ninety-day supply followed by periodic refills of that amount if all of
the following requirements are satisfied:
(a) The patient has completed an initial thirty-day supply of the
drug. However, if the prescription continues the same medication as
previously dispensed in a ninety-day supply, the initial thirty-day
supply under this subsection (1) is not required;
(b) The total quantity of dosage units dispensed does not exceed
the total quantity of dosage units authorized by the prescriber on the
prescription including refills;
(c) The prescriber has not specified on the prescription that
dispensing the prescription in an initial amount followed by periodic
refills is medically necessary; and
(d) The pharmacist is exercising his or her professional judgment.
(2) In no case may a pharmacist dispense a greater supply of a drug
pursuant to this section if the prescriber personally indicates, either
orally or in their own handwriting, "no change to quantity," or words
of similar meaning. Nothing in this section prohibits a prescriber
from checking a box on a prescription marked "no change to quantity,"
provided that the prescriber personally initials the box or checkmark.
(3) A pharmacist dispensing an increased supply of a drug pursuant
to this section shall notify the prescriber of the increase in the
quantity of dosage units dispensed.
(4) Nothing in this section may be construed to require a health
benefit plan, health carrier, workers' compensation insurance plan,
pharmacy benefit manager, or any other person or entity including, but
not limited to, a state program or state employer, to provide coverage
in a manner inconsistent with the beneficiary's or enrollee's plan
benefit.