SB 23-144

Senate Bill 23-144, which has been signed into law and is now effective, allows doctors in Colorado to prescribe stronger pain medications for patients with chronic pain without fear of punishment. This means that healthcare providers can continue or start treatment using higher doses if they believe it's necessary, even if these doses exceed recommended limits, as long as the patient is stable and not experiencing harmful side effects. The law also stops pharmacies, insurance companies, and clinics from refusing to provide prescriptions based solely on dosage limits. This bill helps ensure that chronic pain patients can receive the medication their doctors think they need without unnecessary restrictions.

Official Summary

The act allows a health-care provider to prescribe, dispense, or administer a schedule II, III, IV, or V controlled substance (drug) to a patient in the course of treatment for a diagnosed condition that causes chronic pain. The act also clarifies that the prescribing health-care provider is not subject to disciplinary action by the appropriate regulator for prescribing a dosage of a drug that is equal to or more than a morphine milligram equivalent dosage recommendation or threshold specified in state or federal opioid prescribing guidelines or policies. The act prevents a health-care provider from being required to taper a patient's medication dosage solely to meet a predetermined dosage recommendation or threshold if the patient is stable, compliant with treatment, and not experiencing serious harm. The act also prohibits a pharmacy, health insurance carrier, or pharmacy benefit manager from having a policy in place that requires a pharmacist to refuse to fill a prescription for an opiate issued by a health-care provider solely because the prescription is for an opiate or because the prescription order exceeds a predetermined morphine milligram equivalent dosage recommendation or threshold. The act also prohibits a health-care practice or clinic from having a policy in place that requires a health-care provider to refuse to prescribe, administer, or dispense a prescription for an opiate solely because the prescription order exceeds a predetermined morphine milligram equivalent dosage recommendation or threshold. APPROVED by Governor May 4, 2023 EFFECTIVE May 4, 2023 (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

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