DPS to Collect More Drug Info -
[Cached Version]
Published on: 9/9/2008
Last Visited: 9/4/2009
TMA was able to amend the bill to create an advisory committee to help DPS establish the system, says TMA Legislative Affairs Director Dan Finch.
The bill's sponsor, Sen.
Tommy Williams (R-The Woodlands), and law enforcement kept all other amendments off the bill, Mr. Finch says.
...
The advisory committee, which has physician and pharmacist members, has raised questions about collating prescribing data by DPS number because it is unique to Texas, not generally required except for Schedule II drugs, and not routinely collected by pharmacists for insurance billing, Mr. Finch says.
The physicians and pharmacies would prefer to use either the DEA number or the physician's national provider identifier because they are more universally available, more easily collected, and more generally used by the pharmacies, he added.
DPS, however, believes it has no leeway under the law and must begin collecting the information on Sept. 1, even though the electronic monitoring system is not yet operational, Mr. Finch says.