----- Blog Index / Illinois-and-Nebraska-Mandate-Electronic-Prescribing! [MDToolbox Staff] [2021-06-08]
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts have both recently signed their State’s electronic prescribing mandates into law. Illinois House Bill 3596 mandates healthcare providers to electronically prescribe all controlled substance medications with an effective date of January 1st, 2023. Nebraska Legislature Bill 583 also mandates providers to electronically prescribe all controlled substances but with an effective date of January 1st, 2022.
The Illinois mandate contains the most concise language seen from any state mandate thus far, totaling just over 200 words. The mandate allows for providers who prescribe less than 25 prescriptions in a calendar year an exception for complying with the law. Currently, there are no penalties for non-compliance listed in Illinois. The Act states that violations shall not be grounds for disciplinary actions. The bill states that the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation will establish rules and requirements around implementing further exemptions.
The Nebraska mandate allows for exceptions to the law including situations that involve state emergencies and patients that reside in long-term care facilities for instance. The Act also states that Dentists will need to comply with the mandate but not until January 1st, 2024. Currently, there are no penalties for non-compliance listed in Nebraska. The Act states that violations shall not be grounds for disciplinary actions. The bill goes into extensive detail regarding pharmacy and dispenser requirements including allowing partial filling of certain schedules of medications.
Illinois Figures and Statistics
Illinois is currently above the national average for opioid-related overdose deaths, with roughly 17 deaths per 100,000 people when comparing the population of the State in 2018 to the number of overdoses provided. Prescription opioid overdose deaths continued to gradually rise until rising more sharply in 2015, then began to fall after 2017.[1] Illinois has passed legislation attempting to tackle their Opioid dependence issues. Laws passed in 2010 and 2015 made Opioid Reversal drugs progressively easier to obtain In 2017 the State allocated federal funds for education and addiction treatment throughout the state. Illinois currently requires prescribers to consult the State PMP database when prescribing.
Illinois has a 50.4% prescriber enablement for electronic prescribing of controlled substances, well below the national average of 67.1%. Pharmacy enablement in Illinois for EPCS is 96.6%, just above the national average of 96.1%[3]
Nebraska Figures and Statistics
Nebraska is very limiting in the data they provide for State overdose statistics. It appears they are currently below the national average for opioid-related overdose deaths, with roughly 7 deaths per 100,000 people when comparing the population of the State in 2018 to the number of overdoses provided. Again, the national average is 14.6 deaths per 100,000 people. Prescription opioid overdose deaths continued to gradually rise until 2013, then remained stable until another spike in 2017.[2] Rates of deaths involving Opioids appears to have remained consistent since 2009. Nebraska passed legislation in 2018 attempting to tackle their Opioid dependence issues. LB931 established guidelines for prescribing both opioids, limiting prescription durations for minors and requiring patient education. LB731 requires prescribers to complete continuing education regarding prescribing Opioids. Nebraska does not currently require prescribers to consult the State PMP database.
Nebraska currently has a 67% prescriber enablement for electronic prescribing of controlled substances, right at the national average of 67.1%. Pharmacy enablement in Nebraska for EPCS is 98.0%, above the national average of 96.1%[3] MDToolbox encourages providers not to wait until the last minute to setup electronic prescribing!
Please see our website for other states that have either passed or have pending legislation that mandates electronic prescribing. MDToolbox looks forward to providing tools and resources to assist providers throughout Illinois and Nebraska to ease the transition and help our customers combat the opioid epidemic. With MDToolbox, providers have access to tools such as Electronic Prescribing of Controlled Substances (EPCS) and convenient on the go e-prescribing with our mobile app! We offer a free 30 day free trial, so Contact us for more information!