BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 1633
	By: Perry
	Health & Human Services
	4/10/2017
	As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

S.B. 1633 addresses an access to pharmacy issue that exists in several parts of the state. Many small communities cannot support a local pharmacy because the low volume of prescriptions cannot justify a pharmacy staffed by a pharmacist.

This bill creates a "remote dispensing site" license to allow a pharmacy to operate in underserved locations similar to a traditional pharmacy. The difference would be that a pharmacist at a provider pharmacy will remotely supervise a pharmacy technician located at the remote dispensing site. The pharmacy technicians would be required to have received additional training. The pharmacist at the provider site will also counsel the patient through an audio-video connection.

A provider pharmacy cannot oversee more than two remote dispensing sites and the providing pharmacist must visit the site at least once per month. S.B. 1633 contains location and prescription thresholds; when prescriptions exceed this threshold, averaged over a period of time, the site will be required to convert to a traditional pharmacy.

As proposed, S.B. 1633 amends current law relating to the provision of pharmacy services through a telepharmacy system and establishes a remote dispensing site license.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas State Board of Pharmacy in SECTION 1 (Section 562.110, Occupations Code) of this bill.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 562.110, Occupations Code, by amending Subsections (a), (b), (d), and (e) and adding Subsection (g), as follows:

(a) Defines "provider pharmacy" and "remote dispensing site" and redefines "telepharmacy system."

(b) Authorizes a Class A or Class C pharmacy located in this state to provide certain pharmacy services through a telepharmacy system at locations separated from, rather than in a facility that is not at the same location as, the Class A or Class C pharmacy.

(d) Authorizes a telepharmacy to be located only at certain locations, including a remote dispensing site. Makes nonsubstantive changes.

(e) Requires the Texas State Board of Pharmacy (TSBP) to adopt rules regarding the use of a telepharmacy system, under this section, including:

(1) makes a conforming change;

(2) the locations eligible to be licensed as remote dispensing sites, which must include locations in medically underserved areas, areas with a medically underserved population, and health professional shortage areas determined by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, and;

(a) Prohibits a provider pharmacy from providing remote pharmacy services if a Class A (Community) or Class C (Institutional) pharmacy that dispenses prescription drug orders to out-patients is located in the same community. Defines "community" for the purposes of this subsection.

(3) licensing and operating requirements for remote dispensing sites, including certain requirements;

(4) creates this subdivision from existing text and makes no further changes to this subdivision;

(5) to (6) redesignates previously existing Subdivisions (3) and (4) as Subdivisions (5) and (6) and makes no further changes to these subdivisions.

(g) Requires TSBP, by rule, to require and develop a process for a remote dispensing site to apply for classification as a Class A pharmacy if the average number of prescriptions dispensed per day at the remote dispensing site is more than 125, as calculated each calendar year.

SECTION 2. Requires TSBP to adopt rules under Section 562.110, Occupations Code, as amended by this Act, not later than January 1, 2018.

SECTION 3.� Effective date: September 1, 2017.