AN ACT PREVENTING PRESCRIPTION OPIOID DIVERSION AND ABUSE.

This bill makes various changes to prevent and treat opioid drug abuse. Principally, it:

1. allows the Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) commissioner to share certain prescription drug monitoring program information with other state agencies for certain drug abuse studies (§ 1);

2. generally requires prescriptions for controlled substances to be transmitted electronically to a pharmacy, which must have the technology to accept such prescriptions (§ 3);

3. limits access to controlled substances by (a) allowing certain registered nurses employed by home health care agencies to destroy or dispose of them, (b) creating a process for patients to request to not be prescribed opioids, and (c) generally reducing the amount of opioid drugs a minor may be prescribed (§§ 2, 4, & 5);

4. requires practitioners, when prescribing opioids, to discuss with all patients, rather than only minors, the risks associated with opioid drug use (§ 5);

5. requires the Alcohol and Drug Policy Council (ADPC) to take certain actions to address opioid drug abuse (§ 7);

6. requires certain individual and group health insurers to cover specified medically necessary, inpatient detoxification services for an insured or enrollee diagnosed with a substance use disorder (§§ 8 & 9);

7. requires alcohol or drug treatment facilities to use admissions criteria developed by the American Society of Addiction Medicine (§ 10);

8. extends the date by which municipalities must amend their local emergency medical services (EMS) plans to require at least one EMS provider likely to arrive first on the scene of a medical emergency to carry an opioid antagonist and complete a training on how to administer it (§ 11); and

9. allows a prescribing practitioner authorized to prescribe an opioid antagonist to issue a standing order (i.e., non-patient specific prescription) to a licensed pharmacist for an opioid antagonist under certain conditions (§ 12).

*House Amendment “A” replaces the original bill (File 186). It adds the provisions on (1) practitioners obtaining certification to prescribe take-home medications, (2) the ADPC, (3) health insurance coverage for certain inpatient detoxification services, (4) substance use treatment facilities' admissions criteria, (5) local EMS plans, and (6) standing orders for opioid antagonists.

It also (1) allows practitioners to apply for a waiver from the electronic prescription requirements indefinitely instead of until July 1, 2019, as under the original bill, (2) provides immunity to certain prescribing practitioners who prescribe opioids without knowledge of a patient's voluntary non-opioid directive form, (3) generally reduces the amount of opioid drugs a minor may be prescribed, and (4) makes minor and technical changes.

EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1 2017, except that the provisions on (1) health insurance coverage for substance use disorder and electronic prescription requirements take effect January 1, 2018; (2) standing orders for opioid antagonists and opioid prescription drug provisions take effect October 1, 2017; and (3) drug monitoring information sharing and drug disposal take effect upon passage.

The bill allows the DCP commissioner to provide certain controlled substance prescription information obtained as part of the prescription drug monitoring program (e.g., pharmacy and vendor records) to other state agencies. The sharing must be through an agreement between the DCP commissioner and the other agency head, provided that the information is obtained for a study of (1) disease prevention and control related to opioid abuse or (2) morbidity and mortality caused by controlled substance overdose. The information transfer must be done in accordance with all applicable state and federal confidentiality requirements (e.g., the 1996 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act).

By law, under the prescription drug monitoring program, DCP collects information on controlled substance prescriptions to prevent improper or illegal drug use or improper prescribing.

The bill allows a registered nurse employed by a home health care agency, with a patient's designated representative's permission, to oversee the destruction and disposal of the patient's controlled substances. The nurse must use the recommendations for proper disposal of prescription drugs on DCP's website (e.g., add undesirable substances such as salt, sawdust, or used coffee grounds).

The nurse must maintain written or electronic documentation of such destruction or disposal on a DCP-prescribed form for three years. This documentation must be kept with the patient's medical record.

Nothing in the bill prevents the nurse and patient's designated representative from depositing the patient's controlled substances in a statutorily authorized prescription drop box.

The bill, with exceptions, requires prescriptions for controlled substances to be electronically transmitted. “Electronically transmit” means to transmit by computer modem or other similar electronic device. Current law allows prescribers to issue prescriptions for controlled substances in writing, orally, or by electronic transmission. Written prescriptions must, among other things, be in ink, indelible pencil, or by typewriter and only original prescriptions are considered valid. Oral prescriptions must, among other things, be promptly reduced to writing.

Under the bill, prescribing practitioners of controlled substances, within the scope of their license, must electronically transmit controlled substance prescriptions to a pharmacy. The prescriber must promptly print a hard copy of the prescription or create it in an electronic record. Electronically transmitted prescriptions must be consistent with the requirements of the federal Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. § 801). All records must be kept on the prescriber's premises for three years and maintained in a form that is readily available for inspection, at reasonable times, by the DCP commissioner, his authorized agent, or other authorized personnel.

Under the bill, prescribing practitioners are not required to electronically transmit a prescription when:

1. there are temporary technological or electrical failures;

2. the prescriber reasonably determines that it is impractical for the patient to obtain substances prescribed by an electronically transmitted prescription in a timely manner and the delay would adversely impact the patient's medical condition;

3. the prescription is to be dispensed by an out-of-state pharmacy;

4. the prescription needs special attention and electronic transmission could negatively impact the patient care (e.g., compounding); and

5. the prescriber demonstrates that he or she does not have the technological capacity.

The bill allows any prescription under any of these exceptions to be issued as a written order or, to the extent allowed by federal law, as an oral order or transmitted by fax. Any oral order or order transmitted by fax must be promptly written on a prescription blank or hardcopy printout, or created as an electronic record and filed by the pharmacist filling the order. Under the bill, duplicates, carbon or photographic copies, and printed or rubber-stamped orders are not valid controlled substance prescriptions.

Temporary Technological or Electrical Failure. Under the bill, a prescribing practitioner is not required to electronically transmit a prescription when electronic transmission is not available because of temporary technological or electrical failures.

In the event of a temporary technological or electrical failure, the prescriber must, without undue delay, reasonably attempt to correct any cause for the failure that is within his or her control. A prescriber who issues a prescription under this exception must document the reason for failing to electronically transmit the prescription in the patient's medical record as soon as practicable, but must do so within 72 hours after the end of the temporary technological or electrical failure.

“Temporary technological or electrical failure” means a computer system, application, or device failure or the loss of electrical power or any other service interruption to such system, application, or device, that reasonably prevents the prescriber from using his or her certified application to electronically transmit the prescription.

Delay that Adversely Impacts Patient's Health. The bill does not require electronic prescriptions when the prescriber reasonably determines that it would be impractical for the patient to obtain the prescribed substances by an electronically transmitted prescription in a timely manner and that such delay would adversely impact the patient's medical condition. The quantity must not exceed a five-day supply. A prescriber who issues a prescription under this exception must document the reason and place it in the patient's medical record.

Out-of-state Pharmacy. The bill allows a prescribing practitioner to issue a prescription that is not electronically transmitted if the prescription will be dispensed by an out-of-state pharmacy. The prescriber who issues a prescription under this exception must document the reason in the patient's medical record.

Certain Prescriptions that Need Special Attention. Under the bill, a practitioner is not required to electronically transmit a prescription when doing so may negatively impact patient care, such as a prescription:

1. containing two or more products that a pharmacist compounds;

2. for direct administration to a patient by parenteral, intravenous, intramuscular, subcutaneous, or intraspinal infusion;

3. that contains long or complicated directions;

4. that requires certain elements to be included by the federal Food and Drug and Administration; or

5. that must be orally communicated to a pharmacist for a patient in a chronic and convalescent nursing home.

Lack of Technological Capacity. Under the bill, prescribing practitioners are not required to electronically transmit prescriptions when they demonstrate in a DCP-prescribed form and manner, that they do not have the technological capacity.

"Technological capacity" means possessing a computer system, hardware, or device that can be used to electronically transmit controlled substance prescriptions consistent with the federal Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. § 801).

The bill requires pharmacies to accept a prescribing practitioner's electronically transmitted controlled substances prescription. All records must be kept on the pharmacy's premises and maintained in a form readily available for inspection, at reasonable times, by the DCP commissioner, his authorized agent, or other authorized personnel. The records must be kept on file for three years and such records may be stored electronically, provided the files are maintained in the pharmacy's computer system for at least three years. If the electronically transmitted prescription is printed, it must be filed in the same way as pharmacies file filled controlled substance prescriptions, which is separate from other prescriptions.

The bill requires the Department of Public Health (DPH), in consultation with DCP and the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS), to establish a voluntary non-opioid directive form and publish it on the DPH website for public use.

A "voluntary non-opioid directive form" means a form voluntarily filed by a patient with a prescribing practitioner that indicates the patient requests not to be issued a prescription or medication order for an opioid drug.

Anyone who does not wish to be issued a prescription or medication order for an opioid drug may file such a form with a prescribing practitioner. Upon receiving the form, the prescribing practitioner must document it in the patient's medical record.

The form must allow a patient to appoint a duly authorized guardian or health care proxy to override a previously recorded voluntary non-opioid directive form. The patient, duly authorized guardian, or health care proxy may revoke the directive orally or in writing at any time and for any reason.

An electronically transmitted prescription to a pharmacy is presumed to be valid for the purposes of complying with this form and a pharmacist must not be held in violation for dispensing a controlled substance in contradiction to a voluntary non-opioid directive form.

The bill immunizes prescribing practitioners acting with reasonable care from damages in a civil action for refusing to issue a prescription or medication order for an opioid pursuant to a voluntary non-opioid directive form. They also cannot be subject to criminal prosecution or be deemed to have violated their professional standard of care on the basis of such refusal.

Under the bill, no one acting in good faith as a duly authorized guardian or health care proxy may be held liable for damages in a civil action or subject to criminal prosecution for revoking or overriding a voluntary non-opioid directive form.

The bill also immunizes emergency departments' prescribing practitioners acting with reasonable care as either a patient's practitioner or the medical control officer for emergency medical services personnel. They are immunized from liability for civil damages, criminal prosecution, or standard of care violations for issuing a prescription or administering a controlled substance with an opioid to a person who has a voluntary non-opioid directive form if in the professional's judgment an opioid was necessary and he or she had no knowledge of the form at the time of issuance or administration.

Under the bill, a prescribing practitioner who willfully fails to comply with a patient's voluntary non-opioid directive form may be subject to certain DPH disciplinary actions.

1. suspend or revoke the person's DPH license or permit,

2. issue a letter of reprimand to or censure the person,

3. place him or her on probation, or

4. take summary action against the person's DPH license or permit if he or she has been found guilty of a state or federal felony or is subject to disciplinary action in another jurisdiction (CGS § 19a-17).

The bill generally reduces, from a seven-day supply to a five-day supply, the maximum amount of an opioid drug a practitioner may prescribe to a minor.

As under existing law, practitioners may prescribe more opioid drugs to a minor if, in their professional judgment, the drug is required (1) for palliative care or (2) to treat the person's acute medical condition, chronic pain, or cancer-associated pain.

Current law requires a prescribing practitioner to discuss with minor patients (i.e., under age 18) along with their custodial parent, guardian, or legal custodian, if present, the risks associated with opioid drug use. The bill additionally requires prescribers to have such discussions with adult patients. As under current law, the bill requires the practitioner to discuss:

By October 1, 2017, the bill requires DPH to post information on its website about the ability of a prescribing practitioner to obtain certification to prescribe at-home medication to treat opioid use disorder (e.g., Suboxone). (The bill does not specify the type of certification or the certifying organization.) This information must include a list of educational requirements, available courses, and any waivers from these requirements.

Under existing law, the following Connecticut-licensed health providers may prescribe medication within the scope of their practice: physicians, dentists, podiatrists, optometrists, physician assistants, advanced practice registered nurses, nurse-midwives, and veterinarians (CGS § 20-14c).

By law, the ADPC is charged with (1) reviewing state policies on substance abuse treatment programs and criminal sanctions and programs and (2) developing and coordinating a statewide plan for these matters.

By October 1, 2017, the bill requires the ADPC to develop a one-page fact sheet on opioid drugs that must:

1. be written in clear and readily understandable language and in at least 12-point font,

2. include the risks of taking an opioid drug and the symptoms of opioid use disorders, and

3. include services available in Connecticut for people experiencing these symptoms or who are otherwise affected by an opioid use disorder.

The council must make the fact sheet available on the DMHAS website for health care providers and pharmacists to use and encourage them to disseminate it to anyone the (1) provider treats for opioid use disorder symptoms, (2) provider issues a prescription for or administers an opioid drug or opioid antagonist, or (3) pharmacist dispenses an opioid drug or issues a prescription for or dispenses an opioid antagonist.

The bill requires the ADPC to examine the feasibility of (1) developing a marketing campaign and making monthly public services announcements (PSA) on opioid drugs and (2) establishing an electronic portal on the availability of substance use disorder treatment beds in Connecticut facilities. The council must report the results of the study to the Public Health Committee by January 1, 2019.

Marketing Campaign and PSA. The council must examine the feasibility of developing a marketing campaign and making monthly PSAs on appropriate state agencies' websites and social media accounts and any radio and televisions stations broadcasting to Connecticut residents on:

Electronic Information Portal. The council must also examine the feasibility of establishing an electronic information portal (i.e., internet website or application) to serve as a single point of entry for information on the availability of:

1. beds at a Connecticut facility for people needing medical treatment for (a) detoxification for potentially life-threatening symptoms of alcohol or drug withdrawal and (b) rehabilitation or treatment for alcohol or drug dependency or intoxication and

2. slots for outpatient treatment using opioid medication to treat opioid use disorder, including methadone and buprenorphine.

The examination must also include the portal's ability to be publicly accessible and provide real-time data on the availability of these beds and slots, including their types and location and wait times, if available.

The bill requires the ADPC to convene a working group to advise the council on any legislative or policy changes to enable first responders or health care providers to safely dispose of a person's opioid drugs upon the person's death. The council must report on the working group's recommendations to the Public Health Committee by February 1, 2018.

The bill requires the ADPC to convene a working group to study municipal police departments' substance abuse treatment referral programs. These programs refer people with an opioid use disorder or who are seeking recovery from drug addiction to treatment facilities. The study must identify any barriers these programs face as well as the feasibility of implementing them statewide. The council must report the working group's findings to the Public Health and Public Safety and Security Committees by February 1, 2018.

The bill requires certain individual and group health insurance policies to cover medically necessary (1) medically monitored inpatient detoxification services and (2) medically managed intensive inpatient detoxification services for insureds or enrollees who have been diagnosed with a substance use disorder.

Under the bill, “medical monitored inpatient detoxification” and “medically managed intensive inpatient detoxification” are defined in the same way as in the most recent edition of the American Society of Addiction Medicine Treatment Criteria for Addictive, Substance-Related and Co-Occurring Conditions.

The bill applies to individual and group health insurance policies delivered, issued, renewed, amended, or continued in Connecticut that cover (1) basic hospital expenses; (2) basic medical-surgical expenses; (3) major medical expenses; or (4) hospital or medical services, including those provided under an HMO plan. Because of the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), state insurance benefit mandates do not apply to self-insured benefit plans.

The bill requires an alcohol or drug treatment facility to use admissions criteria developed by the American Society of Addiction Medicine to assess whether to admit a person to the facility based on the services the facility is licensed to provide and the appropriate services required to treat the person.

Current law requires that EMS providers carry an opioid antagonist and complete a DPH-approved training on how to administer it if they are likely to arrive first on the scene of a medical emergency. The bill clarifies that at least one EMS provider who is likely to arrive first on the scene must carry an opioid antagonist and complete the training, not all such providers.

Under the bill, “EMS provider” means a person, association, or organization who provides immediate or life-saving transportation and medical care away from a hospital to a victim of sudden illness or injury, and who may also provide invalid coach services. Providers include EMS personnel (e.g., paramedics, emergency medical technicians, and advanced emergency medical technicians) and resident state troopers.

Current law requires each municipality to amend its local EMS plan to include this requirement by October 1, 2016. The bill extends the deadline to October 1, 2017.

The bill allows a prescribing practitioner authorized to prescribe an opioid antagonist (such as Narcan) to issue a standing order (i.e., non-patient specific prescription) to a licensed pharmacist for an opioid antagonist that is:

When dispensing an opioid antagonist under a standing order, the pharmacist must train the person to administer it and keep a record of the dispensing and training under the law's recordkeeping requirements. (Existing law already requires this for pharmacists trained by DCP to dispense opioid antagonists; see BACKGROUND.) The pharmacist must also send a copy of the dispensing record to the prescribing practitioner who entered into a standing order agreement with the pharmacy.

Additionally, the bill requires the pharmacy to provide DCP with a copy of each standing order it enters into with a prescribing practitioner.

Under the bill, a prescribing practitioner who issues a standing order for an opioid antagonist is considered to have done so for a legitimate medical purpose in the usual course of his or her professional practice. Additionally, a pharmacist who accepts the standing order and dispenses the opioid antagonist is deemed not to have violated his or her professional standard of care.

The bill also authorizes the DCP commissioner to adopt regulations to implement the bill's standing order provisions.

Controlled substances are drugs whose use and distribution are monitored because of their abuse potential or risk. Controlled substances are categorized in order of their abuse risk and placed into schedules. Drugs with the highest abuse potential, no medical use and not prescribable are placed in Schedule I and those with the lowest abuse potential are placed in Schedule V.

By law, an opioid antagonist is Narcan or any other similarly acting and equally safe drug approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration to treat an opioid drug overdose.

1. complete a DCP-approved training and certification program,

2. act in good faith,

3. train the recipient of the opioid antagonist to administer it,

4. maintain a record of the dispensing and training under the law's recordkeeping requirements, and

5. refrain from delegating or directing another person to prescribe the medication or provide the training to the recipient (CGS § 20-633c).