Nevada
The Board of Pharmacy posted the agenda for the two-day hybrid virtual/in-person October 13 and 14 meeting.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
The Board of Pharmacy posted the agenda for the two-day hybrid virtual/in-person October 13 and 14 meeting.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
To ensure beneficiaries can seamlessly receive care on day one, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) will delay the implementation of the NC Medicaid Managed Care Behavioral Health and Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities Tailored Plans until April 1, 2023.
Tailored Plans, originally scheduled to launch December 1, 2022, will provide the same services as Standard Plans in Medicaid Managed Care and will also provide additional specialized services for individuals with significant behavioral health conditions, Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities and traumatic brain injury.
The delayed start of Tailored Plans allows Local Management Entity/Managed Care Organizations, which will operate the Tailored Plans, more time to contract with additional providers to support member choice and to validate that data systems are working appropriately. The decision is supported by the leadership of the state’s six LME/MCOs.
While the start of Tailored Plans will be delayed, specific new services will still go live December 1, 2022.
More information regarding the beneficiary choice period and other key dates leading up to the April 1, 2023, launch will be shared by NCDHHS in the coming weeks. For more information about Tailored Plans, please visit NC Medicaid’s Tailored Plan website.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.
As you are aware, Ohio Medicaid (ODM) implemented the Single PBM, Gainwell, at Midnight on October 1. NACDS has been working with members, ODM and Gainwell daily to provide solutions as they work through technical issues causing denials, many of which have since been resolved or temporarily patched over. To report any major system issues, please use the dedicated email that Gainwell/ODM is monitoring in real-time. If you need NACDS’ assistance to emphasize significant issues, please contact Jill McCormack.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.
Gov. Tom Wolf (D) issued a news release this week announcing that the Naloxone Standing Order has been expanded to include the 2 Dose Formulation and encouraging patients to bring a copy of the standing order to pharmacies to request the drug. NACDS reminds members that the PA Naloxone Copay Assistance Program will reimburse pharmacies up to $75 for patient copays when the patient is hesitant to pick up the prescription due to cost. For practical operational reasons, the claim must be adjudicated on the current PACE Program system. However, a claim for ANY insured patient regardless of what type of insurance they have – commercial or public – qualifies. There are no criteria to proving financial hardship on the pharmacy because access is the point of the program.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.
The Drug Utilization Review Board posted the agenda for October 21 meeting. Refer to the Texas Drug Utilization Review Board Handbook for the instructions about submitting written materials to the board before the meeting and public testifying on the day of the meeting.
Also in Texas, the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) updated the July 2022 Medicaid Preferred Drug List on September 28 and provided the following updates:
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
The Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission (PQAC) is conducting a survey to assess current pharmacy practices pertaining to accessible labeling for both patients with visual and/or print disabilities and patients who require that prescription information be translated into another language besides English. The survey also includes whether such options are already made available, and what technological, financial or resource-based obstacles prevent such options from being offered. Any licenses are strongly encouraged to participate in the survey.
Also in Washington, the fourth quarter Preferred Drug List (PDL) has been posted to the Reports webpage. This PDL is used by Uniform Medical Plan and the Department of Labor and Industry.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
Medi-Cal posted the following:
Also in California, the Department of Health Care Services posted the following alerts on the Medi-Cal Rx Web Portal.
Finally in California, the Board of Pharmacy communicated the following:
For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.
The Board of Pharmacy published the following rulemaking.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.
The Massachusetts legislature completed, and Governor Charlie Baker (R) signed into law the state budget — HB (House Bill) 5500, which included several provisions of interest to pharmacies.
Mandatory Reporting by PBM (Pharmacy Benefit Manager) for State Agency Managed Care Contracts. The report must be filed with the Legislature by February 15, 2023, on the financial performance of the managed care and accountable care organizations, as well as their effectiveness in serving the MassHealth recipients.
Funding for Public Awareness Campaign Relative to Prescriptions for Contraceptives
Funding for Programs to Combat Opioid Addiction
Expanding Protection for Reproductive Rights – This law provides legal protections for Massachusetts health care providers, including pharmacists, from prosecution by out-of-state jurisdictions for legally protected health care and reproductive health care services and products, including contraceptives, provided in Massachusetts to out-of-state residents. This language protects these providers from criminal prosecution and associated civil lawsuits from states that prohibit access to legal health care and reproductive health services and products. This bill also provides for one statewide standing order to be issued to authorize the dispensing of emergency contraception by licensed pharmacists. This language would replace
For more information, please contact NACDS’ Ben Pearlman at 617-515-2603.