Michael Angeloni – Page 7

California

The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) Medi-Cal is on track for April 1, 2021, to move from managed care to fee-for-service. DHCS has received approval from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for numerous projects, including the transition of the Medi-Cal pharmacy benefit from managed care to fee-for-service. For more information about Medi-Cal Rx, please visit DHCS’ dedicated Medi-Cal Rx Transition website: Medi-Cal Rx: Transition

Also in California. DHCS submitted a State Plan Amendment (SPA) 20-0046 to CMS, which seeks to set reimbursement for COVID-19 testing administered to Medi-Cal students in schools at 70 percent of the Medicare reimbursement rates. The effective date of this SPA is February 1, 2021.

Also in California. The California Department of Public Health released new guidance on vaccine prioritization on January 7. The guidance recognizes the need to balance the prioritization of scarce vaccine resources to achieve community immunity for all Californians by noting situations in which the health departments and providers may offer doses promptly to people in lower priority groups, including provider flexibility to eliminate vaccine spoilage.

Also in California. The Board of Pharmacy reminded pharmacies that they must register their mobile vaccination clinics/hubs where their pharmacist and pharmacy technicians are providing vaccinations outside the pharmacy. All that is required is the pharmacy name and license, and records related to vaccinations should be kept at the pharmacy to be made available if needed for an inspection. Chain companies can provide one list of all their licensed pharmacies in California where there is a mobile COVID vaccine clinic or COVID vaccine administration outside the pharmacy. For more information contact Amber Dillon at Amber.Dillon@dca.ca.gov.

Also in California. The Board of Pharmacy provided guidance on new compliant security prescription forms for instances where a prescriber may not have utilized a compliant security prescription form for a controlled substance on and after January 1, 2021, as required by Assembly Bill 149 (Statutes of 2019). For additional information, go to the Joint Statement and FAQs from the California Department of Justice, the California State Board of Pharmacy, and the Medical Board of California.

Also in California. On January 7, the Office of Administrative Law (OAL) approved the Pharmaceutical and Sharps Waste Stewardship Program Regulations, which are effective immediately.

Also in California. The Administration’s Medi-Cal reform initiative that got delayed last year due to COVID was revised and released last week. The CalAIM executive summary is attached and here is a link to the website.

Lastly in California. In case you missed it, before the holidays, the California Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) issued an order waiving restrictions on pharmacy technicians related to administering COVID-19 vaccinations with specific conditions: DCA Waiver DCA-20-103 Order Waiving Restrictions on Pharmacy Technicians Relating to Administering COVID-19 Vaccines.

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

Michael Angeloni2021-01-15T10:40:12-05:00January 15, 2021|California|

Colorado

The Legislature convened on Wednesday, January 13^thfor a 120-day session, and is scheduled to adjourn on May 12.

Also in Colorado. The Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) Department’s substance use disorder services (SUDS) is now available to Medicaid members effective January 1, 2021. More information can be found here.

Lastly in Colorado. The Board of Pharmacy will hold a virtual public hearing on January 21, 2021, on a proposed rule revising pharmacy standards for refrigerator and freezer storage, allow pharmacy technicians to administer immunizations, and simplify the recordkeeping requirements for pharmacists and pharmacies relating to vaccine administration.

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

Michael Angeloni2021-01-15T10:38:02-05:00January 15, 2021|Colorado|

Kentucky

The Board of Pharmacy will hold a Public Hearing on February 23, 2021, on a proposed rule that would expand the board-authorized conditions allowing prescriber-approved protocols for dispensing of medications or other services to include alcohol use disorder; colorectal cancer prevention and screening; HCV infection screening; HIV infection prophylaxis, pre-and post-exposure; and HIV infection screening. Please send your comments by February 16, 2021, to jmccormack@nacds.org for inclusion in NACDS’ letter of support.

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

Michael Angeloni2021-01-15T10:36:35-05:00January 15, 2021|Kentucky|

Louisiana

As one of the eight members of the Louisiana Pharmacy Congress, NACDS participated in a virtual meeting hosted by the Board of Pharmacy to discuss interim study reports and proposed pharmacy legislation for 2021. Issues discussed were payment parity, expanded scope, collaborative practice agreements, and expanding access to immunizations. The Louisiana Department of Health gave a presentation on their new initiative called “Well-Ahead Louisiana,” a program aimed at partnering with pharmacies to manage chronic diseases. More information on the Well-Ahead initiative can be found here.

Also in Louisiana. The Board of Pharmacy’s Regulation Review Committee is convening a virtual Zoom meeting on January 26, 2021. The meeting access information is provided in the header of the agenda. Links to the legislative and regulatory proposals scheduled for consideration during that meeting are available at the Board’s website, in the Rulemaking Activity section of the Public Library.

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

Michael Angeloni2021-01-15T10:35:39-05:00January 15, 2021|Louisiana|

Maryland

The Medicaid Office of Pharmacy Services issued an updated Bulletin about pharmacy billing for COVID vaccinations in the fee for service program. Please visit the above link for more information.

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

Michael Angeloni2021-01-15T10:34:27-05:00January 15, 2021|Maryland|

Nevada

The Board of Pharmacy adopted a final rule revising standards for electronic transmission of prescriptions, adding provisions on exemption certificates, and defining “technologic or electronic failure. The rule became effective on December 29.

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

Michael Angeloni2021-01-15T10:33:26-05:00January 15, 2021|Nevada|

New Mexico

The state moved past COVID Phase 1A, which featured vaccinating frontline healthcare workers and residents and employees at long term care facilities, to Phase 1B. Consequently, persons 76 years of age or older, those 15 or older with underlying medical conditions that place them at greater risk from COVID-19, frontline essential workers who cannot work remotely, educators and other school employees, and vulnerable populations such as those at congregate care facilities are now eligible to join phase 1A in getting vaccinations.

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

Michael Angeloni2021-01-15T10:31:57-05:00January 15, 2021|New Mexico|

Ohio

This week, the Ohio Department of Medicaid (OCM) awarded the contract for its Single Pharmacy Benefits Manager to Gainwell Technologies. Please see ODM’s news release for more information.

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

Michael Angeloni2021-01-15T10:30:35-05:00January 15, 2021|Ohio|

South Carolina

On January 23, 2020, Centene Corporation acquired WellCare Health Plans, Inc., which included WellCare of South Carolina, a managed care organization (MCO) contracted with the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS). As a result of this acquisition, WellCare will no longer participate in SCDHHS’s Healthy Connections Medicaid managed care program. Effective April 1, 2021, existing WellCare Medicaid members will be served by Absolute Total Care. Absolute Total Care is a wholly owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation. WellCare will remain responsible for claims, appeals and hearings, and other administrative processes that occur before April 1, 2021. To satisfy its contractual requirements with SCDHHS, WellCare will keep administrative processes in place for at least 12 months after exiting the Healthy Connections Medicaid managed care program. Providers rendering services to WellCare members will continue to work directly with WellCare for all dates of service before April 1, 2021. Additional administrative information may be found on WellCare’s website.

All Healthy Connections members transferred to Absolute Total Care on April 1, 2021, will maintain a continuity of care period for up to 90 days during which time members will continue to receive all authorized services from their current providers. If providers have questions about how this acquisition may affect them, they should call WellCare Provider Services at (888) 588-9842 or Absolute Total Care Provider Services at (866) 433-6041.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.

Michael Angeloni2021-01-15T10:29:25-05:00January 15, 2021|South Carolina|

About Michael Angeloni