Committee narrows pharmacy 'test‑and‑treat' bill, sending it on with unanimous support

The Senate Health and Human Services Committee voted unanimously to advance House Bill 13‑36, which expands pharmacists’ test‑and‑treat authority and clarifies technician verification and reimbursement provisions, after adopting a narrowing amendment.

Sponsor Senator Cutter said the bill promotes safe, evidence‑based, limited treatment in pharmacy settings to improve access for minor, self‑limiting conditions and highlighted House amendments and stakeholder engagement that produced bipartisan support in the House. The committee heard both support and caution in the witness panel.

Opponents, including the Colorado chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (Dr. Cassie Littler), said rapid tests do not by themselves establish a diagnosis and raised concerns about continuity of care and missed opportunities for other preventive services during an acute visit. Supporters from the pharmacy profession — including Emily Zeddborn (Colorado Pharmacist Society), Sarah Billups (University of Colorado) and community pharmacists — said pharmacists are trained for these services, that no safety signals have emerged in other states with test‑and‑treat frameworks, and that reimbursement is needed to make the services accessible to insured patients.

Senator Cutter moved amendment L8, which limits independent prescribing for ages 5–11 to four conditions (influenza, strep throat, COVID‑19 and RSV) and reflects stakeholder compromise; the committee adopted L8 and then moved the bill to the Committee of the Whole as amended. The bill was placed on the consent calendar.

The bill now proceeds to the Committee of the Whole.