Erica Joyner – Page 36 – In The States

Pennsylvania

The state has announced a new program that will reimburse pharmacies for Naloxone copays when the pharmacist believes the patient will be hesitant to pick up the prescription due to cost. The Naloxone Copay Assistance Program is funded through federal grants and will begin October 1, 2021. The program will run on the PACE platform; however, the program will reimburse a pharmacy up to $75 per claim for any patient regardless of their insurance plan. There are adjudication testing opportunities available prior to Oct 1. Should you wish to run test claims, please contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack. For more detail, see the program bulletin and detailed adjudication specifications. NACDS thanks Governor Wolf, the Governor’s Opioid Command Center, PACE, and our members that helped advocate for this important lifesaving program over the last few years.

Also in Pennsylvania, Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam signed an order this week with guidance on administering COVID-19 booster shots once they are available. It requires vaccine providers, as possible, to:

provide online scheduling for vaccination appointments,
provide a telephone number, with prompts to a live agent during normal business hours, to assist in scheduling appointments,
offer walk-in appointments, and
work with local Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) and Medical Assistance Managed Care Organizations (MCO) to help schedule eligible adults and people who cannot leave their homes.

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

Erica Joyner2021-09-24T13:42:45-04:00September 24, 2021|Pennsylvania|

Tennessee

Public Chapter 569 went into effect on July 1, 2021. To assist with the implementation process, especially regarding the filing of PBM complaints with the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance (TDCI), the Tennessee Pharmacy Association has worked with TDCI to troubleshoot the complaint process and has been working to develop materials to guide pharmacies as they submit formal PBM complaints. TPA will be conducting several 30-minute open-forum webinars to share the latest news and information related to implementation of Public Chapter 569. These webinars will allow members to hear from TPA staff and other stakeholders, as well as serve as an opportunity to hear from you about the resources you still need.

Also in Tennessee, the Tennessee Board of Pharmacy, at the September meeting, determined that, for purposes of pharmacist-to-technician waivers, certified technicians could be those trained by an ACPE-approved program outlined in a PREP Amendment. The BOP will discuss USP standards at its November 16-17 meeting.

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

Erica Joyner2021-09-24T13:01:07-04:00September 24, 2021|Tennessee|

Texas

The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) has updated the Texas COVID-19 Vaccine Program Provider Manual (Click her for manual)

Also in Texas, the Legislature returned to the Capitol on September 20th for a third 30-day special session to tackle several issues including redistricting, property tax reform, and allocating the $16B in federal COVID relief funds. (Link to special session)

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

Erica Joyner2021-09-24T12:59:42-04:00September 24, 2021|Texas|

Vermont

Effective October 1, 2021, Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) systems and supplies will be available ONLY through retail pharmacy channels and will no longer be accepted via DME provider channels. Prior authorization requirements that had been waived temporarily because of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency will be reinstated. Prescribers may send prescriptions electronically to the pharmacy or hand write prescriptions for patients. Claims will adjudicate in “real time” through the Pharmacy Point of Sale (POS) system which will allow for faster and easier access for patients.

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

Erica Joyner2021-09-24T12:58:41-04:00September 24, 2021|Vermont|

Washington

The Pharmacy & Therapeutics Committee and Drug Utilization Review Board are meeting virtually on October 20th at 9 AM to review drug classes for the Apple Health (Medicaid) PDL. To preregister and access the meeting materials, go to WA P&T Committee.

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

Erica Joyner2021-09-24T12:57:34-04:00September 24, 2021|Washington|

West Virginia

The Insurance Commissioner recently released the Insurance Bulletin No. 21-07 regarding how recent legislation impacts the state’s network adequacy requirements. Of note, the bulletin emphasizes that any sub-networks for specialty drugs that consist of only mail order pharmacies violates the state’s network adequacy standards.

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

Erica Joyner2021-09-24T12:56:09-04:00September 24, 2021|West Virginia|

Alabama

Alabama Pharmacy Association has partnered with the Tennessee Pharmacists Research and Education Foundation to offer live OSHA training. If you are a pharmacist providing immunizations or CLIA-waived testing services, or a pharmacy technician or other health care professional assisting with these services, you must have live OSHA training on bloodborne pathogens every year. The Tennessee Pharmacists Research and Education Foundation (TPREF) is offering a webinar that meets all of OSHA’s training requirements, including the live component. This webinar will provide attendees with one (1.0) contact hour of live ACPE Continuing Education. More information and registration can be found here.

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

Erica Joyner2021-09-17T09:31:02-04:00September 17, 2021|Alabama|

California

NACDS and the California Retailers Association (CRA) submitted the following letters to Gov. Gavin Newsom (D):

a joint letter urging the governor to sign into law AB 1064, legislation authorizing a pharmacist to independently initiate and administer any vaccine that has been approved or authorized by the FDA and received an ACIP individual vaccine recommendation published by the CDC for persons 3 years of age and older,
a joint letter urging the governor to sign into law SB 409, the Board of Pharmacy’s legislation permanently authorizing pharmacists to perform CLIA-waived testing services, including COVID-19 and flu tests and
a joint letter expressing significant concerns with specific provisions AB 1533, the Board of Pharmacy sunset legislation. These provisions would allow the Board of Pharmacy to levy penalties of up to $150,000 on chain community pharmacies that would be excessive and disproportionate to the violations in question, which may jeopardize access to critical healthcare services.

Also in California, NACDS submitted a joint letter with the California Retailers Association to the Board of Pharmacy on an issue pertaining to the state’s electronic prescribing mandate that will go into effect in 2022. Specifically, chain pharmacy encouraged the Board to clarify compliance requirements for the transfer of unfilled electronic controlled substances between pharmacies considering the federal DEA requirements and existing NCPDP standards for Electronic Prescribing of Controlled Substances that constrain what pharmacies can currently do.

Also in California, SB 362, legislation sponsored by the United Food and Commercial Workers and the California Pharmacists Association, that prohibits chain community pharmacies (75 or more stores under one ownership in California) from establishing pharmacy quotas as defined in the bill with certain exceptions, passed both chambers and was sent to the governor for signature. Capitol Advocacy, on behalf of NACDS and CRA, advocated for amendments refining the definition of “quota” and creating exceptions related to measurement and evaluation of performance, competence or quality of care provided to patients by a pharmacist or pharmacy technician.

Finally in California, Both the agenda and meeting materials for the Board of Pharmacy meeting on September 23 are posted. Note: Agenda Item VI. Strategic Planning Session will include the results of the 2021 Environmental Scan conducted earlier this year.

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

Erica Joyner2021-09-17T09:29:13-04:00September 17, 2021|California|

District of Columbia

The Department of Healthcare Finance will hold its virtual Quarterly Pharmacy Provider Forum on September 21 from 10-12am and September 22 from 1-3pm. The content for both is the same. To RSVP and receive meeting link, contact Allison Williams.

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

Erica Joyner2021-09-17T09:27:53-04:00September 17, 2021|District of Columbia|

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