inthenews, Author at In The States

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So far inthenews has created 1084 blog entries.

Pennsylvania

HB 943, legislation prohibiting PBMs and PSAOs from penalizing pharmacies for disclosing a patient's cost share for a prescription drug and discussing available alternatives, has been reported from the Senate Health Committee and received first consideration on the Senate Floor. The legislation, commonly referred to as a "gag clause" bill was sponsored by Rep. Valerie Gaydos (R), and previously passed the House unanimously.

Also in Pennsylvania... Rep. Seth Grove (R) has introduced legislation that would expand pharmacists' immunization authority and allow them to order and administer COVID-19 and CLIA-waived tests for the duration of the Governor's disaster emergency declaration. Specifically, HB 2461 would allow pharmacist to provide any vaccine on the CDC or ACIP schedules and any injectable or biological medication for the treatment or prevention of COVID to patients 9 years of age or older, including any upcoming COVID-19 vaccine. Additionally, it would suspend the provisions of the Pennsylvania Lab Act that requires prior work experience in a laboratory for pharmacists to register with the state to perform CLIA-waived tests, including those for COVID-19. The legislation was introduced at the behest of NACDS and the Pennsylvania Association of Chain Drug Stores (PACDS).

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

inthenews2020-04-30T09:16:34-04:00April 30, 2020|Pennsylvania|

Texas

The Texas Federation of Drug Stores submitted several requests to Gov. Greg Abbott (R) requesting additional waivers, including one for pharmacists testing requesting either a waiver or statewide order from the Department of State Health Services, and one on telepharmacy.

Also in Texas... Gov. Greg Abbott (R) appointed Chairman and CEO of Brookshire Grocery Company Brad Brookshire to his Strike Force to Open Texas to develop plans on how to best reopen the state.

Also in Texas... Gov. Greg Abbott (R) announced that he was mobilizing the Texas National Guard for COVID-19 mobile testing teams. Forty-five teams will be mobilized across the state to provide greater access to medical testing. The teams will have eleven medical professionals and support staff, as well as thirty-four soldiers. Currently, the Texas National Guard has the capacity to test 150 people per day at each mobile testing location.

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

inthenews2020-04-30T09:14:49-04:00April 30, 2020|Texas|

California

The California State Board of Pharmacy (Board) is proposing an emergency action to add regulations related to the independent initiation and furnishing of HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and HIV postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) recommended by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to patients, as authorized by Senate Bill (SB) 159 (Wiener, Chapter 532, Statutes of 2019). The proposed regulation would establish the criteria that a training program for participating pharmacists must meet for approval by the Board and the recordkeeping requirements for a pharmacist who has completed the training program.

Also in California... Despite the fact that the Board of Pharmacy announced that they would extend the comment period to April 30, 2020, NACDS and the California Retailers Association submitted a joint comment letter to the Board of Pharmacy to express our concerns regarding the proposed regulations as unworkable and over-restrictive for staffing requirements for community pharmacies. Our letter stressed that it is crucial that pharmacies have the ability to address fluctuations in staffing but also designate the type of employee that will provide assistance rather than a particular individual.

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

inthenews2020-04-23T09:42:18-04:00April 23, 2020|California|

Colorado

NACDS and the Colorado Retail Council submitted a joint comment letter to the Department of Regulatory Agencies identifying multiple opportunities to modernize and reform the current practice of pharmacy to secure more value, drive innovation, and provide cost-effective healthcare services to improve the health and well-being of Colorado residents.

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

inthenews2020-04-23T09:40:07-04:00April 23, 2020|Colorado|

District of Columbia

The District of Columbia’s Medicaid Program has announced that, as a result of CMS approving their state plan amendment, it will begin paying pharmacists for immunization administration beginning May of 2020.

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

inthenews2020-04-23T09:38:54-04:00April 23, 2020|District of Columbia|

Illinois

Consistent with NACDS advocacy efforts, the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation issued a proclamation that an Illinois licensed pharmacist's scope of practice under the Pharmacy Practice Act is expanded to screen patients, order, administer, read, and report the findings of tests waived under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA) for COVID-19 during the course of the pandemic.

Also in Illinois... Governors from Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin have formed a pact for coordinating the reopening of the Midwest regional economy.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Joel Kurzman at 847-905-0555.

inthenews2023-06-22T11:05:00-04:00April 23, 2020|Illinois|

Indiana

Governors from Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin have formed a pact for coordinating the reopening of the Midwest regional economy.

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

inthenews2020-04-23T09:35:43-04:00April 23, 2020|Indiana|

Kentucky

Governors from Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin have formed a pact for coordinating the reopening of the Midwest regional economy.

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

inthenews2020-04-23T09:33:28-04:00April 23, 2020|Kentucky|

Louisiana

The Board of Pharmacy submitted its initial reports to the Joint Oversight Committee on Health and Welfare on four regulatory projects – Prescription Monitoring Program Project 2020-1, Automated Medication Systems Project 2020-2, Pharmacist Licensing Display Project 2020-3, and Marijuana Pharmacy Project 2020-5. For more information on the status of all of the Board's regulatory projects, go to http://www.pharmacy.la.gov/index.cfm?md=pagebuilder&tmp=home&pid=81

Also in Louisiana... The Board of Pharmacy announced changes to a proposed rule that would amend regulations under LAC 46:LIII, Chapters 15, 25, and 27, to allow pharmacies to accept returns of previously dispensed drugs for disposal. The rule also would specify requirements for disposal of controlled substances and hazardous drugs. The changes remove the requirement for pharmacies to accept returns of controlled substances for disposal and instead would allow pharmacies to accept such drugs for disposal and require pharmacies to advise patients or their designees of drug disposal options. A second public hearing is scheduled for April 27, 2020.

Also in Louisiana... Effective March 20th, the Department of Health began reimbursing for vaccines administered to adults by qualified pharmacists, an administration fee of $15.22 which includes counseling when performed. Vaccine reimbursement for recipients aged 19 and over shall be reimbursed at wholesale acquisition cost (WAC) or billed charges, whichever is the lesser amount. http://bnaregs.bna.com/?id=la_15788

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

inthenews2020-04-23T09:22:47-04:00April 23, 2020|Louisiana|