The Prescription Drug Affordability Board (PDAB) posted its draft agenda and meeting materials for the November 19 meeting. Check the PDAB website for updates to the agenda and the meeting materials. Register in advance.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.
The Arizona Medicaid agency, the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System and the Governor's Office invite you to attend this public webinar to learn more about Arizona's application for the Rural Health Transformation Program. This webinar will highlight the application submitted and will discuss the next steps regarding the program award and the funding of Arizona's programming. Click here to register and add to your calendar.
Date: November 13
Time: 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Location: Virtual Via Google Meet. Please register in advance. (Meeting ID and passcode will be provided upon registration)
For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.
he Board of Pharmacy distributed its monthly News Roundup for November. This issue includes important information related to vaccines, albuterol and epinephrine standing orders for schools, the California Medication Error Reporting (CAMER), drug theft/drug loss online portal and PIC training webinar.
Also in California, the November 2025 issue of the Board of Pharmacy's newsletter, The Script, is now published online. The November 2025 newsletter includes information on:
Also in California, the Board of Pharmacy sent the following reminder to licensees.
Business and Professions Code (BPC) section 4113.1 establishes requirements for a community pharmacy to report medication errors known as CAMER to an entity approved by the Board. The statute requiring medication error reporting by community pharmacies can be viewed at BPC section 4113.1. The Board approved the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP), an ECRI Company, as the entity to receive and review medication error reports under BPC section 4113.1. Information regarding CAMER registration can be found at https://mederrors.ismp.org/.
The Board reminds community pharmacy licensees that medication errors that occur on or after September 1, 2025, must be reported to the CAMER system consistent with legal requirements established.
Also in California, the Department of Health Care Service posted the following on the Medi-Cal Rx Web Portal:
Finally in California, pursuant to the announced pharmacy benefit policy changes effective January 1, 2026, the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) mailed letters to Medi-Cal members to notify them of two upcoming changes:
Both letters provide members with information about the policy change and guidance concerning potential actions the member may take.
Questions may be submitted to the Pharmacy Benefits Division at Medi-Cal.PharmacyBenefits@dhcs.ca.gov or to the Medi-Cal Rx Education and Outreach team at Medicalrxeducationoutreach@primetherapeutics.com
For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.
Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) announced the state submitted its application to CMS for the Rural Health Transformation Program. The proposal, titled Healthy Hometowns, is aimed at building a high-quality, sustainable system of care that improves the health, well-being and quality of life in rural communities across the state. Healthy Hometowns is Iowa's strategic response—developed in collaboration with rural hospitals, health systems, and community partners—to address these challenges through a hub and spoke model of care. More information about Iowa's Rural Health Transformation proposal, including its application, is available online.
Also in Iowa, the Department of Health and Human Services (Iowa HHS) launched a new funding opportunity to help communities across the state respond to the opioid crisis. This funding comes from HF 1038 passed earlier this year, which directs 75% of Iowa's opioid settlement money toward efforts to reduce opioid misuse and its impacts.
The Iowa HHS will allocate this funding through a competitive application process. There will be two rounds of funding: one starting now and another in the spring. Each project can receive up to $1 million, with $7 million available in each round.
Projects must focus on one or more of the following goals:
For more information or to apply, visit: https://www.iowagrants.gov/viewStorefrontOpportunity.do?OIDString=1758745329639%7COpportunity
For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.
MedImpact issued an updated statewide physician protocol for COVID point-of-care testing and a revised covered over-the-counter drug list.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.
The Board of Pharmacy held its regular meeting on November 7. The agenda includes second notice of rulemaking on prescribing, dispensing and administering HIV medicine.
For more information, please contact NACDS’ Ben Pearlman at 617-515-2603.
The Board of Registration in Pharmacy held its regular meeting on November 6. The agenda included the following:
MassHealth provided notice via All Provider Bulletin 412 to all providers using 340B drugs that it will stop paying for the high-cost drugs listed in this most recent bulletin, in addition to those outlined in All Provider Bulletin 390 and All Provider Bulletin 400. This follows M.G.L. c. 118E, § 13L, 130 CMR 405.000: Community Health Centers, 130 CMR 406.000: Pharmacy Services and 130 CMR 410.000: Outpatient Hospital Services.
MassHealth will implement these changes no sooner than May 4, 2026, through a follow-up All Provider Bulletin. MassHealth is inviting comments about these changes no later than December 3. See All Provider Bulletin 412 for details.
For more information, please contact NACDS’ Ben Pearlman at 617-515-2603.
The Board of Pharmacy posted an agenda for its November 17 meeting.
Also in Nebraska, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), in partnership with the University of Nebraska Public Policy Center, has launched the Prevention & Care Provider Survey to find out more about care of certain infectious diseases in the state.
This anonymous online survey asks about your experiences and perspectives related to prevention, testing and diagnosis, patient care and services in Nebraska, with some questions asking about HIV in particular. Your input is critical for informing policies on HIV prevention and care across the state.
To access the survey, please visit: https://go.unl.edu/hiv-providersurvey or scan the QR code with a mobile device.
The survey should take approximately 15 minutes to complete. All responses go directly to researchers at the University of Nebraska Public Policy Center. DHHS will receive only a summary of aggregated results, no individual responses or identifying information will be collected or shared.
The survey will remain open until December 5. If you have any questions about the survey, please contact Quinn Lewandowski of the University of Nebraska Public Policy Center at qlewandowski2@nebraska.edu or 402-472-9459.
Also in Nebraska, the Department of Health and Human Services posted the draft minutes from the Drug Utilization Review (DUR) Board's October 28 meeting. The next meeting will be held on January 13, 2026.
Finally in Nebraska, the Department of Health and Human Services added the Buprenorphine: Practical Clinical Guidance for Prescribers under DUR Resources.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.
The NYRx Education & Outreach team shared the following update.
Effective November 6, 2025, Rybelsus 3mg will be subject to the following clinical criteria:
Any claims that do not meet criteria may be impacted and reject at the pharmacy.
The NYRx Education & Outreach Call Center is available by phone at 1-833-967-7310 or by email at NYRxEO@primetherapeutics.com from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm ET, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.
For more information, please contact NACDS’ Ben Pearlman at 617-515-2603.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
