State Representative Chris Lopez's (R-16) House Bill 2444, which provides affordable healthcare to rural Arizonans, has been signed into law.
What the Bill Does
House Bill 2444 allows pharmacists, under a statewide protocol approved by the Arizona State Board of Pharmacy, to test and treat flu, strep throat, COVID-19, and other coronavirus-related respiratory illnesses using FDA-authorized, CLIA-waived tests, provided the tests include patient screening, medical history, exclusion criteria, treatment instructions, pharmacist training, follow-up care, and referral requirements.
Additionally, pharmacists must make a reasonable effort to identify a patient's primary care provider and notify that provider within 72 hours of treatment initiation. The provider must be notified within 48 hours of any reported or observed adverse reaction, and written parental consent must be obtained to treat minors; independent opioid treatment is also prohibited.
What Lopez is Saying
"Where you live should not determine whether basic healthcare is within reach," said State Rep. Lopez in a press release. "In rural Arizona, a routine infection can mean missing work, driving an hour or more, and paying urgent care or emergency room prices because there is no closer option. This law allows trained pharmacists to provide fast, appropriate treatment under strict statewide protocols. It gives families a safe, affordable option close to home while requiring a referral when a patient needs a higher level of care."
Other Healthcare Affordability Efforts
At the federal level, Representatives Eli Crane (R-AZ) and Greg Stanton (D-AZ) secured the unanimous passage of an amendment to the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for 2027 in May that would redirect funding from the VA's General Administration account to the VA Office of Rural Health, earmarking it for mobile clinics and targeted clinical staffing designed specifically to serve Tribal communities, since many veterans are of Native American heritage yet are frequently unable to quickly access VA healthcare facilities.
More recently, at the state level, Arizona Senate Democrats highlighted their efforts to keep 400,000 Arizonans enrolled in the state's Medicaid program.
