Bill > HB929

This bill provides a framework for allowing licensed chiropractors in Montana to obtain an optional prescriptive authority license endorsement, enabling them to prescribe specific noncontrolled, nonscheduled medications for musculoskeletal treatment and pain management. The endorsement would permit chiropractors to prescribe over-the-counter analgesics, prescription nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants, topical analgesics and anti-inflammatories, and topical and oral cortical steroids. To obtain this endorsement, chiropractors must apply to the Board of Chiropractors, meet specific educational requirements in pharmacology, and follow standard prescribing protocols established by the board. The bill modifies existing chiropractic practice definitions to include this new prescriptive capability while explicitly stating that controlled or dangerous drugs remain prohibited, except under the new endorsement. The legislation aims to improve patient care by reducing unnecessary referrals, addressing physician shortages, and providing more efficient treatment options. Importantly, the endorsement is voluntary, and chiropractors are not required to pursue this additional prescriptive authority. The bill reflects an evolving understanding of chiropractic care's role in healthcare and seeks to expand chiropractors' ability to provide comprehensive treatment within a regulated framework.

Budget and Finance, Business and Industry

https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC1247