CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT

SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5459

Chapter 262, Laws of 2013

63rd Legislature
2013 Regular Session



PHARMACISTS--SUPPLY LIMITS--CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES



EFFECTIVE DATE: 07/28/13

Passed by the Senate April 23, 2013
  YEAS 48   NAYS 0

BRAD OWEN
________________________________________    
President of the Senate
Passed by the House April 9, 2013
  YEAS 90   NAYS 3

FRANK CHOPP
________________________________________    
Speaker of the House of Representatives


 
CERTIFICATE

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.

HUNTER G. GOODMAN
________________________________________    
Secretary
Approved May 16, 2013, 1:51 p.m.








JAY INSLEE
________________________________________    
Governor of the State of Washington
 
FILED
May 17, 2013







Secretary of State
State of Washington


_____________________________________________ 

SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5459
_____________________________________________

AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE

Passed Legislature - 2013 Regular Session
State of Washington63rd Legislature2013 Regular Session

By Senate Health Care (originally sponsored by Senators Becker, Keiser, Parlette, Dammeier, and Kline)

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.


         Passed by the Senate April 23, 2013.
         Passed by the House April 9, 2013.
         Approved by the Governor May 16, 2013.
         Filed in Office of Secretary of State May 17, 2013.