OHIO LEGISLATIVE SERVICE COMMISSION
Office of Research Legislative Budget
www.lsc.ohio.gov and Drafting Office
H.B. 382* Bill Analysis
135th General Assembly
Click here for H.B. 382’s Fiscal Note
Version: As Reported by House Insurance
Primary Sponsor: Rep. Brown
Effective Date:
Logan Briggs, Attorney
SUMMARY
▪ Requires a licensed terminal distributor of dangerous drugs, such as a pharmacy, to notify
a purchaser of a prescription drug at retail of the availability of a prescription drug reader
and to make the reader available on request.
▪ Requires health benefit plans and Medicaid to cover prescription readers provided by a
terminal distributor.
DETAILED ANALYSIS
Prescription drug readers
A “prescription reader” is a device that audibly conveys the information that is required
to be included on a prescription label for a patient who is visually impaired or otherwise would
have difficulty reading the label. The information to be audibly conveyed includes any cautions
required by federal and state law, as well as information regarding drug interactions,
contraindications, and side effects that are provided to sighted patients and patients who have
no difficulty reading a label.1
Terminal distributors
Prior to selling a prescription drug at retail, the bill requires a licensed terminal distributor
of dangerous drugs, such as a pharmacy, to notify the person purchasing the drug that a
prescription reader can be made available. The terminal distributor must provide the notice as
follows:
* This analysis was prepared before the report of the House Insurance Committee appeared in the House
Journal. Note that the legislative history may be incomplete.
1 R.C. 4729.362(D)(4) and 5164.093(B).
November 20, 2024
Office of Research and Drafting LSC Legislative Budget Office
▪ For in-person transactions, the notice must be provided if the terminal distributor has
reason to believe that the purchaser is blind or visually impaired or is purchasing the drug
on behalf of a patient who is blind or visually impaired.
▪ For transactions in which the drug will be delivered to a patient by mail, parcel post, or
common carrier, the notice must be provided to the person purchasing the drug. 2
If the person requests the reader, the terminal distributor must provide one for the
duration of the prescription.3
The bill provides that its requirements do not apply when:
▪ A drug is personally furnished by a prescriber;
▪ The licensed terminal distributor dispensing the drug is any of the following: a pharmacy
dispensing a drug as part of Ohio’s existing drug repository program; a pharmacy in a jail,
state or federal correctional institution, or juvenile detention facility; a pharmacy
operated by a government entity; or an institutional pharmacy.4
The bill defines “institutional pharmacy” as a pharmacy that is part of, or operated in
conjunction with, any of the following health care facilities: an ambulatory surgical facility,
nursing home, residential care facility, freestanding rehabilitation facility, hospice care program,
home and community-based services provider, residential facility for individuals with mental
illness or developmental disabilities. It specifically includes (1) a pharmacy on the premises of a
health care facility that provides a system of distributing and supplying medication to the facility
or its patients, whether or not operated by the facility, and (2) a pharmacy off the premises of a
health care facility that provides services only to patients of one or more health care facilities.5
The bill specifies that it does not affect any law relative to labeling requirements for
drugs.6 Existing federal and state laws and regulations address what must be included on
prescription drug labels.7
Health benefit plans and Medicaid
The bill also requires health benefit plans, the Medicaid program, and each Medicaid
managed care organization (MCO) and Medicaid MCO plan to cover prescription readers
provided by a licensed terminal distributor of dangerous drugs, such as a pharmacy, pursuant to
“Terminal distributors” above.8
2 R.C. 4729.362(A)(2).
3 R.C. 4729.362(A)(1).
4 R.C. 4729.362(B).
5 R.C. 4729.362(D)(2).
6 R.C. 4729.362(C).
7 See, e.g., 21 Code of Federal Regulations Part 201; Ohio Administrative Code 4729:5.
8 R.C. 3902.64, 5164.093, and 5167.12(D).
P a g e |2 H.B. 382
As Reported by House Insurance
Office of Research and Drafting LSC Legislative Budget Office
“Health benefit plan” means an agreement offered by a health plan issuer to provide or
reimburse the costs of health care services. “Health benefit plan” also means a limited benefit
plan, except for a policy that covers only accident, dental, disability income, long-term care,
hospital indemnity, supplemental coverage, specified disease, vision care, and other specified
types of coverage. “Health benefit plan” does not include a Medicare, Medicaid, or federal
employee plan.9
“Health plan issuer” means an entity subject to Ohio insurance laws that provides or
reimburses the costs of health care services under a health benefit plan. The term includes a
sickness and accident insurance company, a health insuring corporation, a fraternal benefit
society, a self-funded multiple employer welfare arrangement, a nonfederal government health
plan, or a third-party administrator.10
HISTORY
Action Date
Introduced 01-18-24
Reported, H. Insurance --
ANHB0382RH-135/ts
9 R.C. 3902.50 and 3922.01, not in the bill.
10 R.C. 3902.50 and 3922.01, not in the bill.
P a g e |3 H.B. 382
As Reported by House Insurance


Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 5167.12