 |
|
6/3/2025
|
Senate OKs Lauria’s bill allowing pharmacists to authorize prescription refill if prescriber can’t be reached
|
The Senate today approved legislation sponsored by Sen. Pamela J. Lauria to protect patients from being unable to fill vital prescriptions because their prescriber cannot be reached for authorization.
The legislation (2025-S 0483), which now goes to the House, allows pharmacists, in the event they receive a request for a prescription refill and are unable to readily obtain refill authorization from the prescriber, or the patient no longer has a prescriber, to dispense a one-time refill for continuation of the patient’s therapy for no more than 100 days under certain conditions.
Senator Lauria (D-Dist. 32, Barrington, Bristol, East Providence), who works as a primary care nurse practitioner, introduced the legislation to help prevent interruptions in necessary medical treatment, particularly for those with a chronic condition.
“Primary care is in crisis in Rhode Island, and we need every tool available to protect patients’ health,” said Senator Lauria. “Currently, if a pharmacist can’t reach a patient’s provider to authorize a refill, whether it’s because they no longer have a provider, they can’t get an appointment or because their provider’s staff is struggling to keep up with the enormous administrative burdens they all face, the patient can’t get the medication. In some cases, that’s a life-threatening situation, and unfortunately, it’s becoming more common every day. Pharmacists are highly trained experts when it comes to medication, and with this change, they would be equipped to protect Rhode Islanders from the risks of being forced off medication because no one can authorize their refill.”
Under the bill, a pharmacist would be allowed to authorize a refill on their own only if the medication is essential to life or continuation of therapy for a chronic condition, and in the pharmacist’s professional judgment, its interruption might produce undesirable health consequences or may cause physical or mental discomfort. The dispensing pharmacist would have to notify the prescriber within seven business days, or if no current prescriber exists, document that information within the pharmacy’s records. The bill would not apply to Schedule II-V narcotics.
With the closure this summer of Anchor Medical Associates, which is where 25,000 Rhode Islanders see their PCPS, there will soon thousands more Rhode Islanders looking for PCPs, and many will likely find themselves in need of prescription refills before they find a new one.
The legislation now goes to the House, which in April approved a companion bill (2025-H 5633) sponsored by Representative McGaw (D-Dist. 71, Portsmouth, Tiverton, Little Compton). Last week, the Senate Health and Human Services Committee recommended that bill for passage in concurrence by the full Senate.
For more information, contact:
Meredyth R. Whitty, Publicist
State House Room 20
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 222-1923
|
|