Idaho Guidelines for Prescribing Psychologists

In 2017 the Idaho Legislature passed a bill which authorized psychologists with advanced specialized training to prescribe certain medications for the treatment of mental health disorders.  Strict limitations were associated with this prescription authority as laid out in the Idaho Administrative Code 24.12.01.721-.729. The Idaho Legislature in the 2023 Session essentially eliminated all of the limitations that had originally been put in place with the following exceptions:

• Prescribing psychologists are only able to prescribe medications that are typically used in the treatment of psychiatric, behavioral and neurological disorders.  Thus, we are not permitted to prescribe all medications (as a psychiatrist would be able to do), but only those related to the above areas.

• Also, please note that Medicare does not at this time recognize psychologists as “physicians” (they only recognize M.Ds, D.O.s, podiatrists, dentists, optometrists, physician assistants and nurse practitioners) and thus we cannot receive Medicare reimbursement for E/M services.  Thus, I do not (with some exceptions) accept referrals for medication evaluation and management for Medicare patients unless I am concurrently seeing them for psychotherapy.