OLYMPIA — Rep. Lisa Parshley passed her first bill off the House floor today. HB 1186 allows hospitals and other emergency healthcare entities to prescribe a full course of medication instead of the current 48-hour course allowed by law. The bill aims to reduce medical waste and increase accessibility for patients who live in pharmacy deserts.
“This is smart policy,” said Rep. Parshley. “The way it was right now we’re getting rid of perfectly good medications because they’re only packaged as a full script. Once you break the seal to get 48 hours worth the rest has to be thrown out. Let’s let our doctors be doctors and send patients home with a full course of medication.”
Currently, many areas of Washington qualify as pharmacy deserts because of either a lack of facilities or having pharmacies with limited operating hours. While most pharmacy deserts exist in rural and tribal areas many urban areas also fall under this distinction.
“I represent the City of Olympia,” added Parshley. “And we’re a pharmacy desert. Most people won’t realize they live in one until they experience a health emergency.”
The legislation also reduces patients out of pocket costs by allowing for a onetime purchase of medication.
“The bottom line is,” said Rep. Parshley. “When you’re leaving an emergency medical department you just want to get home and start recuperating, the last thing on our mind is getting back to a pharmacy as soon as it opens. This legislation will stop disruptions of treatment, reduce costs, and prevents further emergencies down the road. It’s the right thing to do for the people of Washington.”
The bill passed with a vote of 97 to 0 and now moves onto the Senate for consideration.