Bill Text: CA AB670 | 2013-2014 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Pharmacy Law: incentive payments.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-02-03 - From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. [AB670 Detail]
Download: California-2013-AB670-Amended.html
BILL NUMBER: AB 670 AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2013 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 16, 2013 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 2, 2013 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Atkins FEBRUARY 21, 2013 An act to add Section 4073.5 to the Business and Professions Code, relating to healing arts. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 670, as amended, Atkins. Pharmacy Law: incentive payments. The Pharmacy Law governs the practice of pharmacy in this state, including the permissible duties of licensed pharmacists. Among other permitted acts, a pharmacist filling a prescription order for a drug product prescribed by its trade or brand name may select another drug product with the same active chemical ingredients of the same strength, quantity, and dosage form, and of the same generic drug name as determined, as specified, of those drug products having the same active chemical ingredients. A person who violates the Pharmacy Law is guilty of a crime, as specified. This bill would prohibit a pharmacist or pharmacy employer from receiving any payment or other compensation, in the form of money or otherwise to specifically recommend or replace a patient's originally prescribed drug product with a drug product that does not have the same active ingredient as the originally prescribed drug product, unless the recommendation or replacement is the result of, and the payment is included in the reimbursement for, the pharmacist performing a comprehensive medication review, as specified. By creating a new crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: yes. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 4073.5 is added to the Business and Professions Code, to read: 4073.5. (a) A pharmacist or pharmacy employer shall not receive any payment or other compensation, in the form of money or otherwise, to specifically recommend or replace a patient's originally prescribed drug product with a drug product that does not have the same active ingredient as the originally prescribed drug product, unless the recommendation or replacement is the result of, and the payment is included in the reimbursement for, the pharmacist performing a comprehensive medication review, which includes a consultation with the patient. (b) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit contracts that contain incentive plans that involve general payments for consultation services that are not directly tied to payments for recommending or replacing a specific drug product. SEC. 2. No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.