AUGUSTA - The Legislature's Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services (HCIFS) Committee voted unanimously on Tuesday, with two members absent, to advance a bill to make it easier for Maine people to access emergency supplies of medications. The proposal, LD 1776, is sponsored by Rep. Amy Roeder, D-Bangor.
LD 1776 allows pharmacists to dispense emergency supplies of medications to a patient without a prescription if an authorization is unavailable, so long as the pharmacist has a record of a past prescription for the patient. The bill also requires insurance companies to provide coverage of the emergency supply. Controlled substances including opioids are not included in this legislation.
"I live with asthma and depend on my inhaler to assist during episodes," said Roeder. "I have experienced what it is like to be denied an emergency prescription during an episode. I have also, unfortunately, listened to many similar stories from community members. It is time to fix this issue so that those living with chronic illnesses can access the medications they need in an emergency situation. I thank the HCIFS Committee for helping to address this issue."
LD 1776 received support from the Maine Pharmacy Association, the Maine Society of Health System Pharmacists and the Maine Nurse Practitioner Association.
Roeder is serving her first term in the Maine House of Representatives and is a member of the Legislature's Labor and Housing Committee.
Contact:
Jackie Merrill [Roeder], c. 812-1111