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Senate committee approves bill letting pharmacists dispense limited nicotine-replacement products
Summary
The Senate Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee passed HB 12-63 to let pharmacists dispense a narrow list of nicotine-replacement products and create an insurance pathway for coverage, with supporters pointing to high Medicaid smoking costs and a Harding University pilot.
Representative Eaves introduced HB 12‑63 on behalf of a Harding University pilot to let pharmacists dispense a small set of nicotine‑replacement therapies and allow insurers a claims pathway so the products would be covered.
The sponsor said the bill builds on a Harding University College of Pharmacy pilot and cited an Arkansas Center for Health Improvement report estimating smoking costs to Arkansas Medicaid at about $795,000,000. “The idea behind this bill is to help people quit smoking,” Eaves said, explaining the pilot trains pharmacists to counsel patients and dispense limited products already available over the counter.
Michael Keck, government relations director for the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Action Network, told the committee the society supports the bill and that expanding pharmacist-based options could help people quit. Tyler Vaughn and Connor Reed, students with Harding University College of Pharmacy involved in the pilot, described a two‑year, 30‑pharmacy study that will collect quit‑rate data and target high‑prevalence Medicaid communities.
Committee members asked for more detail about the cost estimates and safeguards for children. Senator Hammer sought a breakdown of the $795 million figure; Eaves said he relied on ACHI data and noted the health‑care task force had shown a lower estimate but that both are significant. On minors, the sponsor said rules developed with the pharmacy and medical societies would address prior authorization and that he would not support access for underage children.
After brief discussion and support from the Arkansas Pharmacists Association and the American Cancer Society, the committee moved the bill. A committee motion to pass HB 12‑63 carried and the chair announced the bill had passed the committee.
The committee did not record a roll‑call tally in the transcript; the motion was made by Senator Caldwell and seconded by Senator Flippo; the chair called for ayes and declared the bill approved.
