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Senator backs medication‑synchronization bills to improve adherence for patients with multiple chronic conditions
Summary
Senator proposed laws that would allow pharmacists to synchronize prescription fills so patients can pick up multiple medications on the same day each month, a measure supporters say improves adherence and reduces hospitalizations.
Senator Walter (Lovely) told the Joint Committee on Financial Services that medication synchronization — aligning refill dates so patients pick up several prescriptions on a single day each month — can reduce missed doses, emergency visits and hospital stays for people with multiple chronic conditions.
"Under the protocol, a pharmacist would review a patient's medications and sync them for pickup on the same day each month," Senator Lovely told the committee while seeking favorable reports on Senate Bill 781 and House Bill 1305. He cited research that poor adherence increases emergency visits by 17% and hospital stays by 10% for certain chronic conditions.
The bills would permit pharmacists to prorate supplies when necessary so that medications with different refill cycles can be synchronized. Supporters said synchronization is an evidence‑based, low‑cost intervention that improves adherence, particularly for patients with limited mobility or transportation. The committee did not vote on the bills during the hearing.
