AUGUSTA - Gov. Janet Mills recently signed into law LD 1776, a proposal to help Mainers more easily access emergency medications for their chronic health conditions, sponsored by Rep. Amy Roeder, D-Bangor.
The new law allows pharmacists to dispense an emergency supply of a chronic maintenance medication used to treat long-term conditions without a current, valid prescription from a health care provider so long as:
- The pharmacy has a previous record of the prescription;
- The pharmacist is unable to obtain authorization to refill the prescription from the patient's health care provider;
- The medication is necessary to sustain the life of the patient; and
- The amount of medication dispensed is limited to a 30-day supply.
Controlled substances including opioids are not included in the law.
"I am proud of the work my colleagues and I have done to support those living with life-threatening chronic conditions," said Roeder. "So many constituents and people across the state have found themselves in need of an emergency prescription at one point or another. I am grateful to the Legislature's Health Coverage, Insurance and Financial Services Committee, whose members approached work on this proposal with bipartisan good faith. Together, we accomplished something really great for the people of Maine."
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