Ohio
The Board of Pharmacy posted guidance to remind pharmacies about their Pharmacy Personnel Licensure and Registration Requirements. Guidance can be found here.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.
Texas
The Health and Human Services Commission announced that effective September 1, 2020, the Vendor Drug Program (VDP) will implement a uniform opioid policy across fee-for-service and managed care programs to encourage appropriate use and reduce opioid over-prescribing. The opioid policy does not apply to people receiving hospice care or palliative care, treatment for cancer, residents of a long-term care facility or another facility for which residents receive opioid substitution therapy for the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD), or other people they elect to exempt based on an objective, confirmable physical pathology known to cause severe chronic pain not ameliorated by other therapies and for which opioid treatment is appropriate. According to the announcement, if diagnoses are not available in the medical data, exemptions will be handled on a case-by-case basis through the prior authorization process. More information can be found here.
Also in Texas. The Department of Insurance adopted an emergency rule that requires health benefit plans to extend established prior authorization approvals for drugs by 90 days and requires plans to authorize payment for a one-time additional 90-day supply of a covered drug. The rule also requires plans to cover prescription drugs from out-of-network pharmacies with no additional cost-sharing when the enrollee cannot obtain them in-network, requires plans to make alternative drugs available in the event of shortages, and prohibits plans from requiring an enrollee signature at the point of delivery. Also, the rule prohibits plans from refusing or reducing payment for a prescription drug based on the fact such a drug was delivered by a local pharmacy. The rule expires on September 27, 2020 (see page 2378 in the link: https://www.sos.state.tx.us/texreg/pdf/backview/0410/0410is.pdf).
Also in Texas. On August 8, Governor Greg Abbott extended his Disaster Declaration for all Texas counties in response to COVID-19 for another 30-days. Originally issued on March 13, 2020, the Disaster Declaration provides the state with a variety of resources to effectively serve Texans as the Lone Star State continues to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
Virginia
The Board of Pharmacy has posted the agenda for second meeting of the workgroup on pharmacists protocols scheduled for Monday, Aug. 17 at 9 a.m. The agenda includes the draft protocols (contraceptives, prenatal vitamins, naloxone, epinephrine, and OTC drugs) and the draft regulation that the workgroup will consider for recommendation to the full board. The joint Board of Pharmacy and Board of Medicine workgroup is required by HB 1506 of 2020 to write protocols to allow pharmacists to initiate therapies and administer medications.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.
California
The California Board of Pharmacy held a two-day virtual meeting to discuss pending legislation, AB 1710 which the Board voted to support, which would allow pharmacists to administer FDA-authorized COVID immunizations. The Board also discussed proposed rules on automatic refills, pharmacists working alone, and removing the barriers that restrict the use of CLIA-waived COVID tests at pharmacies. The Board voted to pursue a proposal to amend BPC 4052.8 related to pharmacist authority to administer vaccines approved by the FDA and approved amendments to initial proposed text for Title 16, CCR section 1746.6, Independent HIV Preexposure and Postexposure Prophylaxis Furnishing.
Also in California. NACDS sponsored and participated in the California Pharmacists Association’s Virtual Advocacy Day virtual meeting with Chairman Evan Low, Assembly Member Cecelia Aguiar-Curry, and Assembly Member Jim Wood, sponsor of AB 1710 and the Medi-Cal reimbursement fix bill that would address below acquisition cost reimbursement issues (AB 2100).
Also in California. The Department of Public Health’s (CDPH) issued updated COVID-19 Industry Guidance for testing, outlining different tiers to help determine who should be tested. Additionally, the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) developed a testing priority flyer to be placed in provider offices to provide additional guidance.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
Colorado
The Department of Consumer Affairs (DORA), the agency that oversees the state’s Medicaid Fee-for-Service program, Health Colorado First (covers approximately 1.3M lives), announced that they will begin paying pharmacies on the medical benefit side for the administration of 7 adult influenza vaccinations and reimbursement for the cost of the vaccine in mid-August, 2020.
Also in Colorado. In advance of the August 6 Pharmacy Stakeholder meeting on proposed rules that would implement the Statewide Protocol Pre-Exposure and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis of HIV (PEP/PrEP) law (CO20-HB 1061), NACDS submitted a comment letter to the Board of Pharmacy recommending a one-hour training program for pharmacists that should not be accredited by ACPE. We also recommended changes to the recordkeeping and documentation requirements.
Also in Colorado. August 29, 2020 is the deadline for pharmacy technicians to obtain a certification from the Board of Pharmacy. Details can be found here.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
Connecticut
The legislature just passed Bill number 6003, which gives pharmacists the ability to dispense and prescribe emergency insulin to diabetics. The legislation also addresses a proposal to provide insulin for the uninsured. The Governor is expected to sign into law.
For more information, please contact NACDS’ Ben Pearlman at 617-515-2603.
Iowa
The Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) announced Medicaid Director Michael Randol will be leaving his position on Friday, August 14, 2020. Deputy Medicaid Director Julie Lovelady will serve in the interim while DHS recruits a replacement.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Joel Kurzman at 847-905-0555.
Kentucky
The Department for Medicaid Services has published pharmacy guidance, effective August 6, for point-of-care COVID testing, based on the Governor’s previously issued Executive Order. The guidance lays out pharmacy billing requirements under both fee-for-service and managed care. Additionally, the department issued a statewide protocol intended for use by pharmacies that do not have a medical provider to issue an order.
Also in Kentucky. The Board of Pharmacy rescinded the first directive regarding Hydroxychloroquine dispensing that requires a diagnosis code. The remaining directive still applies, which placed restrictions on the dispensing of chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, mefloquine, and azithromycin.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.
Louisiana
The Department of Health (LDH), which oversees Medicaid, has issued several updates for pharmacies. Links to those updates are below:
- Louisiana Medicaid Pharmacy Point of Sale (POS) Diagnosis Code Requirement for Select Medications – August 3, 2020
- Louisiana Medicaid Pharmacy Point of Sale (POS) Quantity Limits – August 3, 2020
- Louisiana Medicaid Pharmacy Point of Sale (POS) Edits for Lumateperone (Caplyta™) – August 3, 2020
- Louisiana Medicaid Pharmacy Point of Sale Clinical Authorization for Select Drugs – August 3, 2020
- Louisiana Medicaid Provider Updates
Also in Louisiana. LDH announced several extensions through October 31, 2020, due to COVID. Those extensions apply to:
- Existing approved prior authorizations on prescribed drugs and physician-administered drugs (drugs included as a medical benefit). According to LDH, this will not affect the number of refills originally authorized by the prescriber.
- Member copays for prescribed drugs, which will continue to be waived.
- A 90-day supply of appropriate maintenance medications that are not controlled substances. This includes cardiovascular drugs (hypertension, coronary artery disease, thrombosis), diabetes drugs, respiratory drugs (inhaled and oral), contraceptives, antivirals, direct-acting antivirals for hepatitis C, immunosuppressives, antipsychotics, and antidepressants, among others.
- Member signatures, which will not be required.
Also in Louisiana. The Board of Pharmacy will be holding a virtual full board meeting on Thursday, August 13, 2020. The full agenda can be found here.
Also in Louisiana. The Board of Pharmacy posted its new Pharmacy Law Book. The new law book can be found here.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.