HB732

I oppose this bill because it puts a burden on healthcare providers to do something extra for Medicaid patients when as far as I know they try not to let your insurance plan dictate care. I understand where it’s coming from though, before we had smart phones & back when I had $40 co-pays for prescriptions I learned really quickly to look at the PDR before I left the doctors office, or to ask the pharmacy to give me that print out that comes with the meds before I pay for the meds, but parents was sick kids aren’t going to do all that. If people are picking up prescriptions with Medicaid that they end up not even using that is a waste so it makes sense that more information for parents would be better. But why is this only going to apply to Medicaid? I think most doctors offices have computers right in the room, my PCP has printed the drug information for me to take with me on my way out of the office for different meds, they could all print these with the visit summaries and people could take them home and look them over before they go to the pharmacy to pick up the prescription.

This bill not only singles out Medicaid recipients, it requires doctors to do something that they already do. It is another attempt to make it harder for doctors to treat Medicaid recipients.

I oppose this bill as it singles out patients on Medicare /Medicaid, puts increased burden on DCYF to monitor. My question then becomes who oversees the overseers. As a Psych/Mental Health nurse for the past 30+ years, many of which were in the area of child and adolescent care, this already is the standard of practice. When we are involved with the care of a child, we need to do due diligence and informing our patient about the medication’s. We are administering. This includes all medication‘s not just psychotropics and in making sure that the care provider is aware of possible side effects and gives consent if there are practitioners that are not doing this then they are not following the standard of practice that it has been in effect for many many years. My concern is this bill would result in under treatment if there is confusion in who has authority to approve. This ultimately has the potential to harm children in need of these medications. Please vote this bill as ITL.

This bill is redundant. It requires healthcare providers to do what they are already do by law: review medication indications and side effects with parents of a minor for which psychotropic drugs have been subscribed. This bill is yet another that is designed to intimidate healthcare providers in our state.

As a pediatrician, I review risks, benefits, and side effects of all prescription medications with patients and families prior to prescribing. Adding in printing a specific sheet that duplicates information provided by the pharmacy followed by having families sign a specific form only increases administrative burden without enhancing care. This would continue to discourage providers from accepting Medicaid and further restrict their options for care.

Dear Representatives, I strongly urge you to oppose this bill. Framing it as a matter of informed consent, while the FDA is being dismantled and critical information is disappearing from government sites, is deeply misleading. Discussions about medications for children already take place between guardians and prescribers, covering target symptoms, treatment goals, follow-up plans, benefits, and potential risks. Thank you for your time.

Dear Representatives, I urge you to OPPOSE this bill. Presenting this bill under the guise of informed consent, while the FDA is in the process of being dismantled and information is being stripped from government sites, appears in very bad faith. Medication discussions for children and their guardians are already had with their prescribers including target symptoms, goals of treatment, follow-up plan, benefits, and potential adverse effects. Medical providers do not need the government further telling them how to practice. Let medical professionals be medical professionals. Thank you for your time.

Normally I support informed consent, but I am concerned about what the FDA's warning will be since so many of the federal agencies are being dismantled. I do not support this bill and think that the doctors are the professionals best suited to educate their patients at this point.