Washington State
House of Representatives
Office of Program Research
BILL
ANALYSIS
Health Care & Wellness Committee
HB 2115
Brief Description: Concerning prescription labels for medications used for abortion.
Sponsors: Representatives Thai, Slatter, Senn, Chapman, Reed, Ramel, Macri, Gregerson, Doglio, Fosse, Riccelli, Wylie and Reeves.
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Allows a health care provider who has prescribed an abortion medication to request that the label for the medication include the prescribing health care provider?s national practitioner identification number or the health care facility name, instead of the prescribing health care provider?s name.
Hearing Date: 1/12/24
Staff: Chris Blake (786-7392).
Background:

Prescription drug container labels.

When a prescription drug is dispensed, its container must have a label containing specific information.  The information includes the name and address of the dispensing pharmacy, the prescription number, the name of the prescribing health care provider, the prescriber's directions for use, the name and strength of the medication, the name of the patient, the date, and the expiration date.  A prescribing health care provider may request that the name and strength of the medication not be shown.

 

National Provider Identifiers.

National Provider Identifiers (NPIs) are unique identification numbers for health care providers, including both individual health care providers and organization health care providers.  The NPIs are used in administrative functions and financial transactions and provide a single identification number to be used with multiple health plans.  The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services operates the National Plan and Provider Enumeration System to assign NPIs to health care providers and maintain information about health care providers with NPIs.
Summary of Bill:

A health care provider who has prescribed abortion medication may request that the label for the medications include the prescribing health care provider?s national practitioner identification number or the health care facility name, instead of the prescribing health care provider?s name.  The term "abortion medications" is defined as substances used in the course of medical treatment intended to induce the termination of a pregnancy.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Not requested.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.