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California

Despite successfully amending AB 1468 to carve pharmacies out of the definition of wholesalers, chain pharmacies submitted a letter to the Senate Appropriations Committee opposing the opioid tax bill because it could increase the cost of opioid medications for patients.

Also in California… Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced a statewide tour to launch his “California for All” healthcare proposals expanding Medi-Cal coverage to all eligible undocumented young adults ages 19-25, providing subsidies/monthly discounts to middle-income families, creating a single-purchaser system for prescription drugs and working with Congress to create a federal waiver allowing California to move toward single payer.

Also in California… AB 1803, legislation pharmacies support that would clean up a law that passed last session requiring that when a prescription drug’s purchase price is lower than the patient copayment and the patient chooses to pay cash, the pharmacy must transmit cost information to a health plan or insurer so the cost can be applied to the patient’s deductible, has passed the Assembly and is pending action by the full Senate. This bill delays the effective date of these requirements from January 1, 2019, to Wednesday, January 1, 2020, to allow time to establish a protocol for transmitting this information.

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

2019-05-16T15:49:14-04:00May 16, 2019|California|

Colorado

Gov. Jared Polis (D) is expected to sign into law SB 19-005, legislation requiring the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing to develop a cost savings plan to import prescription medications from Canada by January 1, 2020.

Also in Colorado… HB 19-1242, the Colorado Pharmacists Society’s (CPS) mandatory pharmacy technician certification bill, passed both chambers and was sent to Gov. Jared Polis (D) for signature. Chain pharmacies were successful in clarifying that un-certified support personnel are still allowed in the pharmacy and adding provisions allowing the Board of Pharmacy to determine what additional duties certified technician may perform.

Also in Colorado… SB 19-228 was sent to the governor for signature. Chain pharmacy successfully amended the bill to allow the Board of Pharmacy to develop rules on opioid warning labels. The bill will pay a pharmacy an enhanced dispensing fee if the pharmacy has entered into a collaborative pharmacy practice agreement to administer injectable antagonist medication for medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for substance abuse disorder (SUD) or if a pharmacy dispenses a Schedule II or III opioid to a patient who has not previously received an opioid prescription and the pharmacy provides counseling concerning the risk of opioids to the patient.

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

2019-05-16T15:39:31-04:00May 16, 2019|Colorado|

Kansas

Gov. Laura Kelly (D) signed into law HB 2119, mandating electronic prescribing of Schedule II-IV controlled substances beginning Thursday, July 1, 2021, and permitting a licensed pharmacist to administer an injectable drug in certain situations. Previously, these issues were standalone bills – HB 2389 and HB 2082, respectively.

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

2019-05-16T15:37:17-04:00May 16, 2019|Kansas|

Maryland

Gov. Larry Hogan (R) has signed HB 316 into law, which will require all healthcare practitioners to report immunizations they administer to Immunet, the state’s vaccine registry. The law was a priority of the Maryland Association of Chain Drug Stores as a precursor to expanding pharmacists’ immunization authority and will be effective Tuesday, October 1.

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

2019-06-25T10:12:39-04:00May 16, 2019|Maryland|

Montana

Gov. Steve Bullock (D) signed HB 231, expanding immunization services provided by pharmacists to include the administration of vaccines to individuals seven years of age and older as provided by the most recent guidelines by vaccine and age group as published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and under collaborative practice agreements.

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

2019-05-16T15:32:14-04:00May 16, 2019|Montana|

Nevada

SB 283, legislation that included a provision that would have mandated that all prescriptions be entered into the Prescription Monitoring Program was successfully amended by NACDS’ in-state partners, the Retail Association of Nevada.

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

2019-05-16T15:30:50-04:00May 16, 2019|Nevada|

Oklahoma

Marty Hendrick, Pharm. D, D.Ph., has been named as the new executive director of the Board of Pharmacy effective May 28. Previously, Dr. Hendrick served as a compliance officer for the Board and worked in both independent and chain pharmacies.

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

2019-05-16T16:03:48-04:00May 16, 2019|Oklahoma|

Texas

At the May 7 Board of Pharmacy meeting, the Board adopted Option 3, higher fees for both pharmacists and pharmacies to help pay for the integration of the prescription monitoring program. The proposed rule will be finalized at the next Board meeting in August.

Also in Texas… The Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) announced that later this year HHSC will expand the Medicaid and CHIP benefit to allow pharmacists “to administer certain medications in a pharmacy setting and includes the administration of certain long-acting anti-psychotics, Vivitrol, and flu vaccines. These products will be added to the Medicaid and CHIP formularies. Pharmacies must be reimbursed for the ingredient cost, dispensing fee, and applicable administration fees for each claim processed.” The Vendor Drug Program will publish additional information in the coming weeks.

Also in Texas… HB 4285, legislation pharmacies supported that would have allowed pharmacists to furnish medication under a physician protocol to anyone 18 years of age and older after 5:00 p.m. weekdays and on weekends, if the results of a CLIA-waived test for influenza are positive, was heard in the House Public Health Committee on May 1.

Also in Texas… HB 3496, legislation that requires a sworn disclosure statement for pharmacies that NACDS successfully amended on behalf of chain pharmacies that are not publicly traded companies, passed the House on May 8.

Also in Texas… The House passed HB 2536, a drug transparency bill requiring certain drug cost information to be provided by drug manufacturers, PBMs and health plans to the Health and Human Services Commission and the Department of Insurance which will be posted on a state website. (HB2536) .

Also in Texas… HB 3441/HB 1757, two bills promoted by pharmacies ensuring payment parity for pharmacies and recognizing pharmacists as practitioners in the Insurance code passed both chambers and will be sent to Gov. Greg Abbott (R) to sign into law.

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

2019-05-16T16:04:19-04:00May 16, 2019|Texas|
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