Bill > H2494

This bill establishes new procedures for emergency room clinicians when treating patients on probation who are seeking pain medication. Specifically, the bill requires emergency room doctors to ask patients if they are currently on probation and required to take court-mandated drug tests. If a patient answers "yes" to both questions, the clinician must administer a urinalysis drug test before prescribing or dispensing pain medication, which includes opioids, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, and other pain medications detectable in a drug test. The clinician must also inform the patient that the drug test results will be shared with the department of probation. If the patient answers "no" to either or both questions, no drug test will be administered. When a patient on probation takes the drug test, the clinician must promptly provide the department of probation with the patient's name, their responses to the questions, drug test results, and a copy of any pain medication prescription. The bill emphasizes that these requirements do not interfere with the clinician's ability to diagnose, treat, or provide necessary urgent medical treatment to the patient.

Health and Social Services

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H2494