Arizona Senate Committee Gives Qualified Approval to SB 1111

The Arizona Senate Commerce and Public Safety Committee voted this week to recommend SB1111 on a 6-2 vote. The Committee cautioned the bill sponsor, Senator Fann, to continue to work with the provider community to reach a consensus.

The drafted bill aims to limit reimbursement for pharmacy services rendered to injured workers to medications dispensed by a licensed pharmacist in a retail pharmacy setting. This includes an online setting that is publicly accessible. The legislation contains an exception for medications dispensed by a physician or a “closed door” pharmacy. Reimbursement is allowed if the medication is dispensed within 72 hours of the injured worker seeking medical treatment for the first time. The medications would also be limited to a one-time, five-day supply for opioids or a fourteen-day supply for non-opioid medications.

The original bill contained language limiting the prescribing of opioids, but that section was amended in committee to conform with the opioid limits contained in the Arizona Opioid Epidemic Act. The act contained a number of important initiatives to deal with the prescribing of opioids and the treatment of substance abuse disorders. The most notable provision in the opioid act related to the changes in SB 1111 is the five-day supply limit on the first fill of an opioid.

Senator Fann is committed to reaching a workable solution that will achieve her goal of limiting physician dispensing while maintaining access to quality pharmacy care for injured workers in Arizona. There is still a lot of work to be done to make appropriate amendments and then move the legislation through the legislature and onto the Governor's desk.

To read the text of SB1111, please click here.
To read the Senate committee amendment click here.
To see the text of the Arizona Opioid Epidemic Act please click here.
For a summary explanation of the Arizona Opioid Epidemic Act click here.

For questions regarding this alert, or for any other legislative of regulatory action, please contact Brian Allen, vice president of government affairs at Brian.Allen@mitchell.com or at 801-661-2922.