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Committee advances bill allowing pharmacists to administer certain controlled medications and receive separate reimbursement for administration
Summary
Senators heard SB 250 to clarify pharmacist authority under controlled-substance law, allow pharmacists to administer monthly medication-assisted therapy injections, and add reimbursement for administration services; committee later adopted a reimbursement amendment and moved the bill as amended.
Senators heard testimony on Senate Bill 250, a measure to clarify pharmacist authority under New Hampshire controlled-substance law and to allow pharmacists to administer certain controlled medications, including monthly medication-assisted therapy injections.
"The goal here is to reduce ambiguity in what a pharmacist is permitted to do," sponsor Sen. David Roescher said, arguing the controlled-substance chapter omits the word "administer" found elsewhere in pharmacy law.
Roescher said allowing pharmacists to administer some controlled medications could expand access to medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and improve compliance. He cited once-monthly injectable therapies as an example that could reduce the transportation burden on patients who otherwise must travel repeatedly to clinics.
Caitlin Camoe, a practicing pharmacist who represents the New Hampshire Pharmacists Association, testified in support and described the change as a noncontroversial technical alignment with federal law and surrounding states. Michelle Heaton, director of life and health at the New Hampshire Insurance Department, said the department's only concern was payment language and offered drafting assistance so pharmacists are reimbursed for administration services in addition to the drug itself.
In executive session the committee adopted a committee amendment replacing the relevant paragraph to state: "A pharmacist that administers drugs shall be reimbursed for administration services in addition to the reimbursement for the drug." The amendment was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote; the committee then moved the bill out of the cutouts and to an "ought to pass as amended" recommendation by voice consent.
Testimony and committee discussion noted payment and implementation details would be handled in follow-up drafting: the Insurance Department offered rewording to ensure reimbursement is clearly required, and witnesses said pharmacy payment for administration is typically lower-cost than an office visit. The committee did not publish a roll-call tally during the voice votes recorded in the executive session.
