Walmart Will Continue To Allow Paper Prescriptions In 2020 Despite Opioid Crisis Crackdown

Consumers looking to fill their prescriptions may have a little harder time going into 2020 as starting on Jan. 1 electronic prescriptions will be required in some states for certain drugs. But Walmart (WMT) reportedly may still allow paper prescriptions in an effort to make the process easier for patients and healthcare providers.

According to USA Today, Walmart said that it will continue to accept the paper prescriptions despite the drive towards electronic prescriptions to thwart the opioid crisis. The advantage of using electronic prescriptions in place of paper is that it can reduce fraud, errors, and in the hopes of some legislators - overdose deaths.

"We recognize not all provider networks and prescribers will have the technology and systems in place to accommodate this requirement, so we will continue to take written prescriptions so patients are not unintentionally negatively affected by this process," Walmart spokeswoman Marilee McInnis said in a statement to the news outlet.

Walmart did not say when it would move away from paper prescriptions, only that, “We will continue to work collaboratively with prescribers to encourage their use of e-prescribing for controlled substances, as e-prescribing has the potential to reduce errors, misuse, abuse and diversion of prescription medications," according to McInnis.

The new 2020 law requiring electronic prescriptions for controlled substances, including painkillers and antidepressants, now applies to the states of Arizona, Florida, Iowa, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Rhode Island.

Medicare Part D prescribers will also have to use electronic prescriptions, starting Jan. 1, 2021, according to the Support for Patients and Community Act signed by President Trump in October 2018.

Shares of Walmart stock were up 0.41% as of 12:08 a.m. EST on Thursday.