Conservative Think Tank Encourages Lawmakers to Curb Physician Dispensing

Tuesday, October 17, 2017 | 0

An opinion piece by conservative think tank Illinois Policy Institute encourages state lawmakers to pass a bill that would limit physician dispensing of prescription drugs.

House Bill 2892 would forbid payers from reimbursing physicians for prescriptions "filled outside of a licensed pharmacy, except when there exists no licensed pharmacy within five miles of the prescribing physician's practice."

If there is no licensed pharmacy within five miles of a physician's office, the physician would be allowed to dispense up to three days' worth of medication under HB 2892.

The bill, sponsored by Reps. Barbara Wheeler, R-Crystal Lake, Jeanne Ives, R-Wheaton, Reginald Phillips, R-Charleston, Grant Wehrli, R-Naperville, Sheri Jesiel, R-Winthrop Harbor, and Margo McDermed, R-Mokena, is currently in the House of Representatives' Rules Committee. It had its first reading in the House Feb. 9.

Amy Korte of the Illinois Policy Institute opined that placing limits on physician dispensing would make doctors less likely to prescribe medications for profit.

"Reasonable reforms such as Wheeler's ensure injured workers in need of pain medication can still have their prescriptions filled at a licensed pharmacy," Korte wrote. "Her bill simply protects injured workers by limiting doctors' ability to sell those drugs directly within the workers' compensation system."