An Act Relating to the Provision of Tobacco Cessation Services by Pharmacists
Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §3174-ZZ is enacted to read:
§ 3174-ZZ. Reimbursement for pharmacist tobacco cessation services
Sec. 2. 32 MRSA §13702-A, sub-§28, as amended by PL 2013, c. 308, §2, is further amended to read:
Sec. 3. Rulemaking. By January 1, 2018, the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation, Maine Board of Pharmacy shall adopt, in consultation with the Board of Licensure in Medicine, rules for the provision of tobacco cessation counseling services by pharmacists and the furnishing by pharmacists of nicotine replacement products approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration as described in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 32, section 13702-A, subsection 28. The rules must include standardized procedures and protocols for record keeping, notification of health care providers and monitoring patients, as well as smoking cessation therapy training requirements for pharmacists. Rules adopted pursuant to this section are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
summary
This bill amends the laws governing the practice of pharmacy to expressly include tobacco cessation counseling services and the furnishing of nicotine replacement products approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration. It also requires pharmacists to be reimbursed by the MaineCare program for these services. It requires the Department of Health and Human Services to adopt rules by January 1, 2018 for the reimbursement of pharmacists for counseling services. It also requires the Department of Professional and Financial Regulation, Maine Board of Pharmacy to adopt rules by January 1, 2018 in consultation with the Board of Licensure in Medicine for the provision of tobacco cessation counseling services by pharmacists and the furnishing by pharmacists of nicotine replacement products that are approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration.