2021 Legislative Update: Week 3
As is typical, legislative days 5 through 7 saw a significant uptick of bills being filed, with several of them dealing with healthcare. This year, GPhA’s legislative priority is expanding the ability of pharmacists to administer vaccines from four (pneumococcal, influenza, meningitis, and shingles) to include all ACIP recommended vaccines for adults. We are excited to report that a bill was introduced that seeks to do just that.
More specifically, Dr. Burke, Chairman of the Senate Insurance and Labor Committee introduced SB 46, which proposes to expand pharmacist and nurse administered vaccines pursuant to a physician protocol agreement to include all ACIP vaccines for adults as well as well as any vaccine for an illness that has resulted in a public health emergency. In addition, it imposes on pharmacists and nurses the requirement to check GRITS prior to administering a vaccine.
This legislation was born out of the state’s recognition of the central role pharmacists have played in combating COVID-19 including their role in administering the COVID-19 vaccine. The Georgia Department of Public Health has spent significant time in working on this legislation and has made it a priority for the state. The Medical Association of Georgia is also in support of this legislation as are other key stakeholders. GPhA will continue to focus much of its energy to supporting this legislation as it makes its way through the General Assembly.
There were also several other pieces of legislation introduced that GPhA is watching.
Legislation
HB 49
Representative Hutchinson’s Mental Health Parity Act seeks to improve insurance coverage for the treatment of mental health conditions, including requiring healthcare plans that provide coverage for prescription drugs, not to exclude coverage for any FDA approved medications prescribed for the treatment of any category of mental disorder or substance use disorder. It also requires healthcare plans to include all prescription medications approved by the FDA for the treatment of mental disorders or substance use disorders on the lowest tier of the drug formulary developed and maintained by the plan.
HB 93
Introduced by Representative Cooper, this bill looks to eliminate duplicative state licensure and regulation of clinical laboratories by removing much of the Georgia clinical lab code and instead requiring that any clinical lab operating in Georgia be certified by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Centers, pursuant to the federal Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988. While such a change is likely a good thing, there do appear to be some implications for pharmacy testing which GPhA is looking at closely. More to come.
HB 112
This bill, introduced by Representative Kelley, looks to extend COVID-19 immunity protections for businesses and healthcare providers put into law last year from July 2021 to July 2022.
HB 117
Representative Wilensky’s bill seeks to add ulcerative colitis as an approved condition for which a patient is eligible to receive Low-THC oil.
HB 164
Titled the Prescription Drug Consumer Financial Protection Act, Representative Douglas’ legislation looks to require insurers to calculate an enrollees cost-sharing requirements for a prescription drug at the point of sale, based on a price that is reduced by an amount equal to at least 80% of all rebates received or to be received by such insurer.
