The Senate Finance Committee will hold a hearing on SB 64, legislation that would allow pharmacists to prescribe post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for HIV prevention, on January 31. If any members wish to submit written testimony, please contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.
The Board of Pharmacy has approved draft sterile compounding regulations to conform with the new USP standards. These regulations will require a public hearing and comments and review by the Governor before they are finalized.
Also in Massachusetts, an APS (Automated Pharmacy Systems) that meets all the requirements of the policy, and having been approved by the Board, is considered an extension of the pharmacy’s licensed area whether its location is contiguous or non-contiguous to the pharmacy. As a reminder, one of the policy’s requirements is that the APS must be at the same physical address as the pharmacy. Please see the updated policy 2022-07 relative to Automated Pharmacy Systems.
For more information, please contact NACDS’ Ben Pearlman at 617-515-2603.
The Department of Public Health and Human Services posted the 2023 Naloxone Standing Order on its Opioids and Overdose website.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.
The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will launch a new iServe Nebraska portal on January 27 that will serve as an easy-to-use system for individuals to apply to get help with food, heat, electricity, healthcare, childcare, and other essential needs. Individuals may apply for a single benefit or more at the same time. Also, starting March 1, DHHS will review each Medicaid member’s current eligibility. Members who are no longer eligible for Medicaid will have their information forwarded to the federal marketplace for follow-up about other coverage options.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.
The next payment for the Supplemental (managed care) dispensing fee (as pharmacy commonly refer to it) is scheduled to be paid to pharmacies between February 1-15. This is the first payment of the fee for 2023 and since the October 1 implementation of the SPBM. Under the SPBM, the payments will run as a special financial cycle and will appear on the non-Claim 835. You can identify these payments on your Remittance Advice by the reason code of 9638 – “QtrSuppDispFee.” For more information, please see the FAQ ODM was issued this week. The supplemental fee expires in June 2023, as it was meant to be a stopgap to assist pharmacies while the SPBM system was being developed.
Also in Ohio, NACDS submitted a comment letter to the Common Sense Initiative (CSI) regarding the Board of Pharmacy’s proposed rule that would allow pharmacy technicians to administer vaccines. The letter expresses pharmacy’s strong support for the bill but asks that the CSI recommend that the Board remove the ratio for technician vaccinators and align the training requirement hours with the PREP Act.
Finally in Ohio, the Department of Medicaid posted Myers & Stauffer’s 2022 Pharmacy Cost of Dispensing Survey report. NACDS is currently analyzing the report that found that the cost to dispense increased since 2022. They reported a weighted mean of $9.46 and a weighted median of $8.44 as the cost to dispense for non-specialty providers.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.
The General Assembly’s joint Legislative Budget and Finance Committee (LBFC) finally released its study of Pharmaceutical Pricing in the Commonwealth’s Medicaid managed care program this week. The study was mandated by the passage of HB 941 of 2021, legislation that required key reforms to PBM practices in the program. These included prohibiting clawbacks, increasing transparency and eliminating spread pricing. Though LBFC cited they had difficulty accessing key data, the report makes several recommendations to the General Assembly to tighten up current law, increase pricing transparency and enforce the requirement for the release of data. NACDS is working with the Pennsylvania Association of Chain Drug Stores (PACDS), the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association and other allies to advocate for legislation to address these issues.
Also in Pennsylvania, the Board of Pharmacy released its January 31 meeting agenda. Please note they will be discussing the proposed Pharmacy Technician Rules.
Finally in Pennsylvania, Medicaid issued a Bulletin with updated billing instructions for the COVID-19 bivalent booster, and Magellan announced updates and enhancements to PACE/PACENET web portal, including its embedded software applications and tools.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.
After evaluating utilization data and consulting with the state’s managed care organizations (MCOs), the provider community and other stakeholders, SCDHHS (South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services) is announcing updates to the policy changes it previously issued. The updates announced in this bulletin are specific to the temporary flexibilities that were created during the COVID-19 PHE (Public Health Emergency) and do not impact other agency policies that existed prior to the PHE unless specifically indicated. The changes announced today will take effect once the current federal PHE has expired. While the exact end-date is not yet known, providers are advised that the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services previously announced that the federal PHE will remain in effect until at least April 11.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.
The Division of TennCare invites you to our virtual Annual Feedback Session for the Episodes of Care Program on March 23. This Session is open to all stakeholders to share successes, ask questions and give feedback to improve program design. The entire session is anticipated to take approximately one hour; however, the session will conclude when all feedback is given. This is a free event, although registration is required. Click HERE to register.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.
Lt. Governor Dan Patrick announced the Senate Committee assignments this week.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.