The Nebraska Board of Pharmacy is seeking a pharmacist to replace a member whose term expires November 30, 2020. Information about Board service can be found here.
Also in Nebraska... Nebraska Medicaid issued a provider bulletin regarding the suspension of copays for all services and medicines effective May 1st.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Joel Kurzman at 847-905-0555.
On May 6th, the Board of Pharmacy updated is waiver temporarily authorizing registered pharmacists, intern pharmacists, and pharmaceutical technicians to perform COVID-19. The guidance can be accessed here.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
Emergency rule of the Medical Board adopts regulations under 21 NCAC 32B to establish the restricted drug list during the new coronavirus (COVID-19) public health emergency. The rule also establishes standards for pharmacists to receive and document oral prescriptions for restricted drugs. The rule is effective April 6, 2020 and expires June 5, 2020.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.
North Dakota Medicaid issued an update with information about personnel changes in the Pharmacy Services team
For more information, contact NACDS’ Joel Kurzman at 847-905-0555.
In an effort to stay connected with Texas state legislators during the interim, NACDS, the Texas Federation of Drug Stores and our chain pharmacists from HEB, Kroger, Walgreens and United have been engaged in Zoom meetings. Over the past couple of weeks, we have met with nine lawmakers — West Texas State Senators Charles Perry & Kel Seliger, Ft. Worth State Senator Beverly Powell, San Antonio State Representative Phillip Cortez, Houston State Representative Garnet Coleman, El Paso State Representative Lina Ortega, Arlington State Representative Chris Turner, Dallas State Senator Nathan Johnson and Wichita Falls State Representative James Franks. During these meetings, we covered a wide range of issues beyond the great work pharmacist and pharmacies are doing during the pandemic throughout Texas to ensure access to medications, promoting our scope regulatory and legislative agenda, — expanding technician duties and eliminating arbitrary ratios, and enhancing access to immunizations without a prescription. We also urged them to tell Gov. Greg Abbott to allow pharmacists to test now for COVID and treat later when the vaccines become available.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
The March ForwardHealth Update pertaining to COVID-19 has been updated and can be found here
For more information, contact NACDS’ Joel Kurzman at 847-905-0555.
NACDS participated in conference call with Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) last week where he announced that the state had submitted a State Plan Amendment to CMS to increase the payment rates for pharmacist administered vaccines effective in late July 2020. The SPA increases the rates to $15.45 for administration of the influenza immunization. The SPA also increases rates for other Medicaid payable vaccines to $13.14. NACDS will be submitting a comment letter supporting the increase.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
NACDS, the California Retailers Association, and the California Pharmacists Association have submitted numerous requests over the past several weeks and continue to encourage the Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D) Administration to waive existing barriers to allow pharmacists to order and administer COVID-19 and anti-body tests. By allowing pharmacists the ability test, as the state reopens, it will be able to better implement track and trace policies crucial to getting the state’s population back to work.
Also in California… The Assembly returned to the Capitol on Monday, May 4th, and the Senate announced their session will resume on Monday, May 11th.
Also in California… An emergency rulemaking action to add section 1747 to Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations relating to the independent initiation and furnishing of HIV preexposure and postexposure prophylaxis as authorized by Statutes of 2019, chapter 532 (SB 159) was finally approved by the Office of Administrative Law. The Notice of Approval and the text of CCR section 1747 – Independent HIV Preexposure and Postexposure Prophylaxis Furnishing, can be viewed on the Approved Regulations page at the Board of Pharmacy’s website, www.pharmacy.ca.gov.
Also in California… Effective April 1, 2020, an Order of Adoption of a proposal to amend the Protocol for Pharmacists Furnishing Naloxone Hydrochloride was announced by the Board of Pharmacy. To view the regulation and Naloxone Fact Sheet, go to the Approved Regulations on the Board’s website – www.pharmacy.ca.gov.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
May 18, 2020 is the tentative date for the Legislature to resume the session that was paused on March 14th. While there are more than 350 bills pending, it is very likely that most will die and the legislators will focus only on COVID issues and the state’s budget, which forecasters estimate it to be around a $3.2-4 billion shortfall.
Also in Colorado. The Department of Public Health and Environment, Prevention Services Division, issued a Final rule repealing regulations regarding the state’s Cancer Drug Repository Program, effective May 15, 2020.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.