Michael Angeloni – Page 13

Michigan

The Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is regularly updating its document entitled “COVID-19 Vaccine Information for Providers” and recommends bookmarking the website to ensure you are accessing the most up-to-date version. Please visit the above websites for more information.

Also in Michigan. The MDHHS Division of Immunizations has released a new online COVID-19 Provider Vaccination Registration form. Pharmacies who plan to participate in the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine may now enroll. There is also a sample COVID-19 Provider Registration form and a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document that has information on how to enroll in the Michigan Care Improvement Registry (MCIR) which is a pre-requisite to applying to be a COVID-19 provider.

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

Michael Angeloni2020-12-04T08:57:21-05:00December 4, 2020|Michigan|

Minnesota

The Department of Health Services is conducting a webinar series for anyone in health care, with remaining dates of December 8 and 15 at 12:30 pm Central. The WebEx password is COVIDvax!20.

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

Michael Angeloni2020-12-04T08:55:56-05:00December 4, 2020|Minnesota|

Missouri

MOHealthNet reminds its providers about upcoming system updates, including Pharmacy Point of Sale and the Helpdesk. The Pharmacy Point of Sale will not be available for approximately 1.5 hours starting at midnight CDT on Saturday, December 5, 2020, and will be brought up by 1:30 A.M. CDT on Saturday, December 5, 2020. Pharmacies may begin submitting claims after 1:30 A.M. CDT. The Pharmacy Helpdesk will be unavailable on Saturday, December 5, and will be available on Sunday, December 6, 2020, for normal business hours.

Also in Missouri. The State of Missouri COVID-19 vaccine planning team will host Vaccine Planning for Vaccinators meetings on Thursdays from 3-4 pm Central, with its first meeting being held on December 3. The planning team will provide state and federal updates as needed on COVID-19 vaccine production and distribution plans and answer questions from providers who have enrolled with DHSS as COVID-19 vaccinators as well as those who are seeking more information about the process before enrollment. View the vaccinator webpage for more information. To register to attend the December 3 meeting, please register here.

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

Michael Angeloni2020-12-04T08:54:36-05:00December 4, 2020|Missouri|

New Mexico

On November 24, the Legislature held a one-day special session called by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) authorizing a $329 million aid package for unemployment benefits, grants to small businesses, and aid for families impacted by the COVID pandemic. More information can be found here.

Also in New Mexico. In advance of the December 2 public hearing, NACDS submitted a letter to the Department of Health opposing Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s (D) law passed last session establishing a Wholesale Prescription Drug Importation Program. Specifically, NACDS mentioned that the requirement for pharmacies to report adverse events within 15 or 90 days, depending on the type of event, is not workable and is duplicative of the FDA established process for reporting adverse events. NACDS also raised the issue that the reimbursement must be sufficient such that it is financially sustainable for a pharmacy to participate.

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

Michael Angeloni2020-12-04T08:52:58-05:00December 4, 2020|New Mexico|

Ohio

The Board of Pharmacy has released updated guidance including FAQs on the administration of COVID-19 vaccines during the pandemic. Similar guidance addressing pharmacy technicians is also available here.

Also in Ohio. Medicaid has released the results of its 2020 Fee-For-Service Pharmacy Cost of Dispensing Study conducted by Myers & Stauffer. The survey found that the mean cost of dispensing, weighted by Medicaid prescription volume, was $9.46 per prescription for all pharmacies including specialty pharmacies. For non-specialty pharmacies only, the mean cost of dispensing, weighted by Medicaid prescription volume, was $9.07 per prescription. Based on the results from this survey, ODM stated there will be no change to the current FFS tiered structure.

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

Michael Angeloni2020-12-04T08:50:23-05:00December 4, 2020|Ohio|

Pennsylvania

Several bills addressing priority issues in both NACDS’ Scope of Practice and Reimbursement Campaigns were signed into law by Gov. Wolf (D) in the last days of the 2019-2020 Legislative Session. NACDS was instrumental in the passage of these bills, partnering with PACDS and PPA:

HB 770 became law on November 30 as Act 140 of 2020. Effective immediately, it exempts pharmacies from the antiquated requirement in PA Clinical Lab Act that a “lab supervisor” have past employment in a lab to qualify for state approval to conduct COVID, flu, and strep CLIA-waived testing. In effect, it removes the long-standing barrier to pharmacies ordering and performing end-to-end COVID, flu, and strep tests. The bill also includes language requiring pharmacy technicians to be registered with the Board of Pharmacy and includes language permanently allowing technicians to perform remote data entry. The BOP has 18 months to promulgate regulations around technician registration, however, the remote data entry provision was effective November 30. Note: As members apply to the PA DOH for CLIA-waived approval to conduct these tests, please let us know the outcome.
HB 941, a PBM pricing transparency bill that includes a prohibition on clawbacks and requires transparency around transmission fees. It also orders a Legislative Budget and Finance Committee study to analyze pricing and reimbursement under the managed care program. Now Act 120 takes effect 60 days from November 25.
HB 943 prohibits gag clauses in contracts with PBMs. It was effective upon signing.

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

Michael Angeloni2020-12-04T08:48:45-05:00December 4, 2020|Pennsylvania|

South Dakota

The Department of Social Services issued a bulletin indicating that Medicaid now allows prescriptions for certain generic maintenance medications to be filled as a 90-day supply. They provided a list of eligible medications, recommending providers to check it regularly as the list is subject to change. Recipients must first establish compliance and tolerability of the medication before it can be filled as a 90-day supply. To qualify, a recipient must have filled the prescription for the same drug and strength for three 30-day supplies within the previous 100 days.

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

Michael Angeloni2020-12-04T10:46:24-05:00December 4, 2020|South Dakota|

Virginia

The Board of Pharmacy has revised its document HHS Vaccine Allowances for Pharmacists, Pharmacy Interns, and Pharmacy Technicians during COVID-19 Health Emergency and COVID-19 Testing Resource to include additional guidance issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on October 20 which authorizes both “qualified pharmacy technicians” and State-authorized pharmacy interns acting under the supervision of a qualified pharmacist to administer FDA-authorized or FDA-licensed COVID-19 vaccines to persons ages three or older and to administer FDA-authorized or FDA-licensed ACIP-recommended vaccines to persons ages three through 18.

Also in Virginia. The agenda packet for the Board of Pharmacy’s virtual public hearings and the full board meeting scheduled on December 10, 2020, has been posted.

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

Michael Angeloni2020-12-04T08:41:44-05:00December 4, 2020|Virginia|

Wisconsin

The Department of Health Services Immunization Program will provide a general update about the Wisconsin COVID-19 Vaccination Plan Friday, December 4, from 10:00-11:00 am for vaccine partners and stakeholders. This webinar will focus on current plans for Phase 1A, which involves priority vaccination for health care personnel. Please register in advance of the webinar. DHS will also continue its weekly webinar on Tuesdays from 9:00-9:30 am. There is no need to pre-register, but vaccinators should submit questions in advance to dhscovidvaccinator@wi.gov. Please click on this link at the time of the webinar.

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

Michael Angeloni2020-12-04T08:39:48-05:00December 4, 2020|Wisconsin|

About Michael Angeloni