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2014 SESSION

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SB 294 Prescription Monitoring Program; requirements of prescriber, effective date.

Introduced by: Phillip P. Puckett | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles | history

SUMMARY AS PASSED:

Prescription Monitoring Program; prescriber requirements. Requires prescribers to be registered with the Prescription Monitoring Program by the Department of Health Professions upon filing an application for licensure or renewal of a license, if the prescriber has not already registered. The bill requires prescribers to request information from the Director of the Department of Health Professions to determine what, if any, other covered substances are currently being prescribed to any patient for whom the prescriber is initiating a new course of treatment that includes the prescribing of benzodiazepine or an opiate, when such course of treatment is anticipated to last more than 90 consecutive days and for which a treatment agreement is entered into, except when the prescriber's course of treatment arises from pain management relating to dialysis or cancer treatment. The bill also authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Resources to identify and publish a list of benzodiazepines or opiates that have a low potential for abuse by human patients, the prescription of which shall not require the prescriber to request and obtain information from the Prescription Monitoring Program. This bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2015. The bill is identical to HB 1249.

SUMMARY AS PASSED SENATE:

Prescription Monitoring Program; prescriber requirements. Requires prescribers to be registered with the Prescription Monitoring Program by the Department of Health Professions upon filing an application for licensure or renewal of a license, if the prescriber has not already registered. The bill requires prescribers to request information from the Director to determine what, if any, benzodiazepine or opiates are concurrently prescribed to a patient when prescribing benzodiazepine or an opiate for a period of more than 90 days. This bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2015.

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

Prescription Monitoring Program; prescriber requirements. Requires prescribers licensed in the Commonwealth to register with the Prescription Monitoring Program. The bill also requires registered prescribers to request, from the Director of the Department of Health Professions, information regarding a patient's treatment history prior to issuing a prescription for benzodiazepine or an opiate.