North Carolina 2023-2024 Session Status: In Committee Bipartisan · 7 R · 3 D cosponsors

HB 654 — Pharmacists/Vaccine Administration/Test and Treat.

Last action — Passed 1st Reading

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed House
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 2023-2024 Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there are no live odds of enactment. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

137 added · 136 removed

Plain-language change summary

The recent amendment to House Bill 654 includes a change that allows pharmacists to treat certain health conditions, such as influenza and COVID-19, using a specific type of in-office test called a CLIA-waived test. Additionally, the bill specifies that pharmacists can administer vaccines approved by the FDA to people who are at least 18 years old under certain guidelines. This change is significant because it broadens the role of pharmacists in healthcare, enabling them to provide more immediate care and potentially relieving some pressure from doctors and hospitals, especially during public health emergencies.

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GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA H.B.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2023 H 1 HOUSE BILL 654 Short Title:
654 Apr 17, 2023 SESSION 2023 HOUSE PRINCIPAL CLERK H D HOUSE BILL DRH30260-NB-98 Short Title:
Representative Potts.
Representatives Potts, Sasser, Cotham, and Pless (Primary Sponsors).
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO MODIFY THE SCOPE OF PRACTICE OF IMMUNIZING PHARMACISTS, TO ALLOW PHARMACISTS TO TEST AND TREAT FOR CERTAIN ILLNESSES WITH CERTAIN MEDICATIONS APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF PHARMACY, AND TO PROVIDE FOR FAIR AND EQUITABLE REIMBURSEMENT OF HEALTH CARE SERVICES OR PROCEDURES THAT ARE PERFORMED BY A PHARMACIST WITHIN THAT PHARMACIST'S SCOPE OF PRACTICE AND THAT ARE EQUIVALENT TO SERVICES PERFORMED BY OTHER HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS.
Health, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House April 18, 2023 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO MODIFY THE SCOPE OF PRACTICE OF IMMUNIZING PHARMACISTS, TO ALLOW PHARMACISTS TO TEST AND TREAT FOR CERTAIN ILLNESSES WITH CERTAIN MEDICATIONS APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF PHARMACY, AND TO PROVIDE FOR FAIR AND EQUITABLE REIMBURSEMENT OF HEALTH CARE SERVICES OR PROCEDURES THAT ARE PERFORMED BY A PHARMACIST WITHIN THAT PHARMACIST'S SCOPE OF PRACTICE AND THAT ARE EQUIVALENT TO SERVICES PERFORMED BY OTHER HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS.
… (b2) "CLIA-waived test" means a laboratory test approved by the Food and Drug Administration and determined by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to qualify for a waiver under the federal Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 and safe for use in non-laboratory settings.
… (b2) "CLIA-waived test" means a laboratory test approved by the Food and Drug Administration and determined bythe Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to qualifyfor a waiver under the federal Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 and safe for use in non-laboratory settings.
(2) Treat influenza, COVID-19, pharyngitis caused by group A streptococcus, and other health conditions screened by utilizing a CLIA-waived test, in *DRH30260-NB-98* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2023 accordance with rules and protocols adopted by the Board of Pharmacy in consultation with the State Health Director and the North Carolina Medical Board.
*H654-v-1* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2023 (2) Treat influenza, COVID-19, pharyngitis caused by group A streptococcus, and other health conditions screened by utilizing a CLIA-waived test, in accordance with rules and protocols adopted by the Board of Pharmacy in consultation with the State Health Director and the North Carolina Medical Board.
However,a pharmacist shall not administerany of thesevaccines ifthe patient discloses that the patient has an open wound, puncture, or tissue tear.
However,a pharmacist shall not administeranyof thesevaccines ifthe patient discloses that the patient has an open wound, puncture, or tissue tear.
An immunizing pharmacist may administer (i) an influenza vaccine, (ii) a COVID-19 vaccine approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration, or (iii) a COVID-19 vaccine authorized under an emergency use authorization by the United States Food and Drug Administration to persons at least six years of age pursuant to a specific prescription order initiated by a prescriber following a physical examination of the patient by the prescriber.
An immunizing pharmacist mayadminister (i) an influenza vaccine, (ii) a COVID-19 vaccine approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration, or (iii) a COVID-19 vaccine authorized under an emergency use authorization by the United States Food and Drug Administration to persons at least six years of age pursuant to a specific prescription order initiated by a prescriber following a physical examination of the patient by the prescriber.
(c) An immunizing pharmacist may administer any other vaccinations approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration in accordance with the protocols established by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices to persons at least six years of age pursuant to Page 2 DRH30260-NB-98 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2023 a specific prescription order initiated by a prescriber following a physical examination of the patient by the prescriber.
Page 2 House Bill 654-First Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2023 (c) An immunizing pharmacist may administer any other vaccinations approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration in accordance with the protocols established by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices to persons at least six years of age pursuant to a specific prescription order initiated by a prescriber following a physical examination of the patient by the prescriber.
(2) The health benefit plan would have provided reimbursement if the service or procedure had been performed by another health care provider.
House Bill 654-First Edition Page 3 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2023 (2) The health benefit plan would have provided reimbursement if the service or procedure had been performed by another health care provider.
DRH30260-NB-98 Page 3 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2023 (3) The pharmacist provided the service or procedure in compliance with any requirements of the insurer related to the service or procedure.
(3) The pharmacist provided the service or procedure in compliance with any requirements of the insurer related to the service or procedure.
Page 4 DRH30260-NB-98
Page 4 House Bill 654-First Edition
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Action History

  1. Passed 1st Reading

  2. Ref to the Com on Health, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

  3. Filed

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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3 sponsors · 10 co-sponsors · 166 not signed on

Sponsors (3)

Co-sponsors (10)

Not signed on (166)

166 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 166 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

public-safety healthcare health-insurance
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors HB 654?
HB 654 is sponsored by Larry W. Potts (Republican), Sasser, Tricia Ann Cotham (Republican), Mark Pless (Republican), Autry, Hugh Blackwell (Republican), Maria Cervania (Democratic), Pricey Harrison (Democratic), Jeffrey C. McNeely (Republican), Ben T. Moss, Jr. (Republican), Bill Ward (Republican), Shelly Willingham (Democratic), and Wray.
What is the current status of HB 654?
This bill died with 2023-2024 Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track HB 654?
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