Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection Prevention Medications

With regard to coverage under a health benefit plan for HIV infection prevention medications, the act:

• Prevents a health insurance carrier from requiring a covered person to undergo step therapy or to receive prior authorization before receiving HIV infection prevention drugs prescribed and dispensed by a pharmacist; and
• Requires carriers to reimburse a pharmacist employed at an in-network pharmacy for prescribing HIV infection prevention drugs to a covered person and to provide an adequate consultative fee to those pharmacists.

Additionally, the act:

• Allows a pharmacist to prescribe and dispense HIV infection prevention drugs pursuant to a standing order or a statewide protocol if the pharmacist fulfills specific requirements;
• Directs the department of public health and environment to develop and implement a standing order for pharmacists to prescribe post-exposure HIV infection prevention drugs;
• Directs the state board of pharmacy, the Colorado medical board, and the state board of nursing, in collaboration with the department of public health and environment, to develop statewide drug therapy protocols for pharmacists to prescribe and dispense HIV infection prevention drugs and the state board of pharmacy to promulgate rules to implement the protocols; and
• Expands the definition of "practice of pharmacy" to include the prescribing and dispensing of HIV infection prevention drugs and the ordering of laboratory tests in conjunction with prescribing or dispensing the drugs.

$13,347 is appropriated from the division of insurance cash fund to the department of regulatory agencies for use by the division of insurance to implement the act.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)