‘Doctor-Shopping’ Measure Dies In Committee
Oklahoma House panel chairman turns his back on ‘doctor-shopping’ measure
By Jaclyn Cosgrove
A bill that would require doctors to check their patients’ drug histories before writing narcotic prescriptions was derailed Tuesday by a House committee chairman, but sponsors expressed hope they could keep the issue alive.
The bill, requested by Gov. Mary Fallin, was designed to address a key contributor to Oklahoma’s prescription drug overdose crisis by deterring “doctor-shopping” by patients who fill multiple prescriptions written by different physicians.
Rep. David Derby, chairman of the House Public Health Committee, would not let the bill be heard Tuesday during his panel’s last scheduled meeting before a deadline for committee approval.
Derby said he was concerned about several elements of the bill, including a provision that could allow the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs to fine physicians $2,000 for failing to check the online Prescription Monitoring Program.