Erica Joyner, Author at In The States

Alabama

Effective April 1, the Medicaid Agency will:

Continue to monitor the stimulant shortage affecting ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) medications. Should you need assistance, please contact Acentra Health at the number below for alternative prescribing and dispensing options.
Require PA (prior authorization) for generic liraglutide. Brand Victoza will remain preferred and will be billed with a Dispense as Written (DAW) Code of 9.

Acentra Health

Medicaid Pharmacy Administrative Services

P.O. Box 3570, Auburn, AL 36831

Fax: 1-800-748-0116

Phone: 1-800-748-0130

View the alert for additional details.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.

Erica Joyner2025-03-20T15:59:48-04:00March 20, 2025|Alabama|

SB 1214, legislation that would permit pharmacists pursuant to a statewide written protocol to independently test and treat for flu, strep, COVID, PEP/PrEP or a condition related to an emerging or existing public health threat for individuals 12 years of age and older, passed the House Health and Human Services Committee with a vote of 7-5. Also, a pharmacist may delegate the task of performing the test to a licensed staff member under the supervision of the pharmacist.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.

Erica Joyner2025-03-20T15:59:14-04:00March 20, 2025|Arizona|

California

The Board of Pharmacy posted a agenda for the Enforcement and Compounding Committee meeting on March 27. Please note the discussion and consideration of implementation of AB 1902 (Chapter 330, Statutes of 2024) related to prescription drug labels: accessibility.

Also in California, the Board of Pharmacy has proposed additional modifications to Title 16 CCR § 1708.2, related to the Discontinuance of Business.

Any person who wishes to comment on the proposed additional modifications may do so by submitting written comments beginning on March 11 and ending on March 26 to the following:

Contact Person: Lori Martinez

Agency Name: California State Board of Pharmacy

Address: 2720 Gateway Oaks Drive, Ste 100, Sacramento, CA 95833

Email: PharmacyRulemaking@dca.ca.gov

Fax: 916-574-8618

Any responses to comments directly concerning the proposed modifications to the text of the regulations will be considered and responded to in the Final Statement of Reasons.

Also in California, the Board of Pharmacy extends its sincere appreciation to its licensees for assisting the survivors of the Los Angeles Fires. Your commitment to California consumers is commendable. The Board has received notification that the Emergency Prescription Assistance Program (EPAP) ended on March 15. Once the EPAP activation ended, the vendor stopped processing further prescription claims for individuals in the designated Los Angeles zip codes.

Also in California, the Department of Health Care Service posted the following weekly notice on the Medi-Cal Rx Web Portal: Medi-Cal Rx Weekly Wrap-up for March 7-13.

Finally in California, the Department of Health Care Services posted the following:

For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.

Erica Joyner2025-03-20T15:58:27-04:00March 20, 2025|Alabama, Alaska, California, District of Columbia, Georgia, Massachusetts, Montana, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont|

Idaho

Gov. Brad Little (R) signed HB 231, legislation expanding grocery tax credit to offset the sales tax Idahoans pay on food. The new law increases the grocery tax credit to $155 a year, an increase above the current amount of $120 per year.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.

Erica Joyner2025-03-20T15:57:18-04:00March 20, 2025|Idaho|

Indiana

NACDS launched an NACDS RxImpact Action Alert urging members to contact their hometown legislators to help advance SB 140, critical legislation that ensures PBMs pay pharmacies a reasonable reimbursement rate. Opponents are spreading misinformation across radio, print and TV, falsely labeling this bill as a “pill tax” on consumers. The bill passed the Senate and is stuck in the House Insurance Committee.

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

Erica Joyner2025-03-20T15:56:46-04:00March 20, 2025|Indiana|

Kentucky

Gov. Andy Beshear (D) signed SJR 26, a significant step toward payment parity for pharmacists’ clinical services in Medicaid and CHIP. The Resolution directs Medicaid to provide a detailed report regarding pharmacist payment parity for review by the General Assembly during the upcoming legislative interim. The detailed report will include information on the technology necessary to adjudicate these claims with a pharmacy. It will also highlight the value that access to pharmacy clinical services can contribute to patient outcomes and overall healthcare savings.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.

Erica Joyner2025-03-20T15:56:13-04:00March 20, 2025|Kentucky|

Massachusetts

On March 21, the Department of Insurance hosted its second of three public hearings on PBM regulations. This hearing focused on the licensing process and standards. NACDS submitted testimony and participated in the hearing. The final hearing is scheduled for April 4.

For more information, please contact NACDS’ Ben Pearlman at 617-515-2603.

Erica Joyner2025-03-20T15:55:38-04:00March 20, 2025|Massachusetts|

Minnesota

The Department of Health (MDH) published the March 2025 list of drugs of substantial public interest with a focus on insulin products. It is the second list published as part of the statutory reporting requirement. You can also find it on MDH’s Public Interest Drug Lists webpage along with the Public Interest List Methodology & Summary—March 2025. Reporting entities, including pharmacies, have approximately 90 days to report (notifications will be sent 30 or more days after the list release date; reports are due 60 days after notifications are sent). Data and analysis from this and other Lists of Drugs of Substantial Public Interest will be made available on the Prescription Drug Price Transparency website. For direct updates, subscribe to the Prescription Drug Price Transparency email list. For more information, visit the Prescription Drug Price Transparency website.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.

Erica Joyner2025-03-20T15:55:10-04:00March 20, 2025|Minnesota|

Nebraska

Gov. Jim Pillen (R) signed LB 118, legislation increasing the pharmacist-to-pharmacy technician ratio to permit a pharmacist to supervise any combination of pharmacy technicians and pharmacist interns up to four people. For any pharmacist supervising four pharmacy technicians or pharmacist interns, at least one person must be a certified pharmacy technician.

Also in Nebraska, starting on June 1, Medicaid will no longer accept paper applications for Medicaid provider enrollment. All enrollments can be completed electronically at Maximus’ Nebraska Provider Data Management System (PDMS) website. For more information about Maximus’ PDMS, call 844-374-5022 or email at nebraskamedicaidPSE@maximus.com. For questions about how to enroll as a Nebraska Medicaid provider, call 402-471-9018.

Also in Nebraska, on March 19, the Department of Health and Human Services updated provider Bulletin 24-22: Coverage of Interpretation Services.

Finally in Nebraska, the Department of Insurance (NDOI) released a PBM-specific complaint form for reporting concerns. The form is reflective of what is in the Pharmacy Benefit Manager Licensure and Regulation Act that was passed in 2022. There is also a free text space for complaints that do not fall into those statutes. It is important to fill out this form completely and then send it to the NDOI via email or mail as follows:

Email: doi.insurancecomplaints@nebraska.gov

Mail: Nebraska Department of Insurance

P.O. Box 95087

Lincoln, NE 68509-5087

Any materials, medical records or documents that are provided at any time in connection with a complaint will be shared with the insurance companies or PBM against whom the complaint is filed, and their counsel. These documents may also be distributed to other parties engaged in a contested case or other matters pending before the Insurance Commissioner.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.

Erica Joyner2025-03-20T15:54:35-04:00March 20, 2025|Nebraska|

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