Healthcare

SB 357 expands and modernizes collaborative practice agreements between physicians and pharmacists. It allows licensed pharmacists, designated as "clinical pharmacist practitioners," to provide a broader range of "health care services" under a physician's supervision, including modifying drug dosages, ordering tests, and managing drug therapy for patients. These services must be conducted under specific, written collaborative practice agreements and adhere to rules set by the North Carolina Medical Board and Board of Pharmacy. The bill also permits therapeutic drug substitutions by pharmacists with physician authorization and allows for multi-provider collaborative agreements in institutional settings.

Senate Bill 335 allows pharmacists to order and perform CLIA-waived tests to treat influenza, provided they follow statewide protocols and do not use controlled substances. The bill mandates that health benefit plans cover healthcare services provided by pharmacists if the services are within their licensed scope of practice and would be covered if performed by another healthcare provider. It also ensures consistent application of prescription drug and pharmacy service coverage requirements across insurers, third-party administrators, and pharmacy benefits managers. These changes aim to expand access to certain healthcare services through pharmacists, affecting patients, pharmacists, and health insurance providers. Most provisions become effective October 1, 2025.