BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 2576

By: Johnson, Jarvis

Public Health

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

It has been noted that cancer patients and patients receiving hospice care are excepted from the requirement for prescribers and dispensers to access a patient's prescription history information before prescribing or dispensing certain controlled substances, but patients diagnosed with sickle cell anemia are not afforded the same exception. C.S.H.B. 2576 seeks to provide the same protections to patients who are diagnosed with sickle cell anemia in order to help them better manage pain caused by the disease.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 2576 amends the Health and Safety Code to exempt a prescriber from the requirement to access prescription history information of a patient before prescribing or dispensing opioids, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, or carisoprodol if the patient has been diagnosed with sickle cell disease and the prescriber clearly notes in the prescription record that the patient was diagnosed with sickle cell disease. The bill exempts a dispenser from the same requirement if it is clearly noted in the prescription record that the patient has been diagnosed with sickle cell disease.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2019.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 2576 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

The substitute changes the name of the diagnosis to which the bill applies from sickle cell anemia to sickle cell disease.