Law Would Allow Pharmacists To Help Lift Physicians’ Burden, But One Obstacle Remains
Even though the pharmacists are now allowed to offer a handful of drugs without a prescription, they can't bill the government for it yet.
Valley Public Radio:
Pharmacists Are Now Poised To Ease Physician Shortage—If Only They Could Get Paid For It
At a basic level, Senate Bill 493 sets out to make better use of what many say is the most accessible health care practitioner out there. After all, asks Virginia Herold, executive officer of the California Board of Pharmacy, what other practitioner can you see in your neighborhood, without an appointment, regardless of insurance? “I think their role in the health care field is tremendously underutilized,” she says. “It's not just what I'm saying, it's part of what led to the enactment of SB 493. ”Because of this law, pharmacists can now offer a handful of drugs without a prescription, including travel medications and immunizations. And it led to other laws that allow pharmacists to furnish birth control and the opioid overdose drug naloxone. (Klein, 9/5)