Texas

The Board of Pharmacy has posted a final rule that took effect on September 9, which to adopted provisions to add a $500 administrative penalty for failure to access the Prescription Monitoring Program for a patient’s information before dispensing opioids, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, or carisoprodol.

Also in Texas. The Health and Human Services Commission’s (HHSC) Vendor Drug Program’s (VDP) Drug Utilization Review (DUR) Board will be soliciting public comments at their October meeting on the new drug classes anticonvulsants, antihemophilic, antineoplastic (i.e., anti-cancer), antiretroviral (i.e., anti-HIV), and medications used to treat multiple sclerosis. These drug classes are not currently reviewed on the Texas Medicaid Preferred Drug List (PDL). All medications within these newly reviewed drug classes will be preferred and continue to be available without PDL prior authorization. More information can be found here.

Also in Texas. Effective September 21, 2020, the Health and Human Services Commission will require the “Quantity Prescribed” field (460–ET) on all pharmacy claims for Schedule II drugs. Pharmacies should refer to the payer sheet addendum for more information on how this change impacts claim processing.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.