Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) announced that she will call a special session April 5th to address taxpayer relief from high gas prices and a spending bill that the Governor vetoed at the end of the regular session.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
The New York State Department of Health (NYS DOH) announced the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) approval of New York’s section 1115(a) demonstration waiver. This approval is effective from April 1, 2022 through March 31, 2027. In accordance with federal guidelines, the State has 30 days to accept the related Standard Terms and Conditions (STCs), which is an operating agreement between the State and CMS.
The NYSDOH 1115(a) waiver request included a white paper which structured the waiver request proposal around four subsidiary goals:
The CMS approval letter can be found on the NYS DOH website here.
For more information, please contact NACDS’ Ben Pearlman at 617-515-2603.
Medicaid coverage season for Synagis will end March 31, 2022. Pharmacy providers should not submit point of sale claims with date of service after March 31, 2022, for any prior authorization granted during the eight-month extended coverage season from Aug. 15, 2021, to March 31, 2022. Physician providers should submit an EPSDT request for coverage of Synagis beyond March 31, 2022. More information can be found here.
Also in North Carolina, as indicated in the previously issued standing order, which allows qualified pharmacists’ authority to initiate hormonal contraceptive therapy, immunizing pharmacists “who provide contraception products in accordance with this standing order must also complete North Carolina Hormonal Contraception Training Program.” The North Carolina Association of Pharmacists (NCAP) has produced this training program, which is now available here. The Board of Pharmacy has agreed to fund the training program for up to 6,000 North Carolina resident pharmacists over the next 12 months. NCAP will maintain records of pharmacists who have completed this training. Board staff are adding a “Contraceptive Trained” status button to each pharmacist’s Board of Pharmacy on-line profile. Once that status button is added, pharmacists will be notified and must log on to their Board profile to record their training (just as pharmacists currently update vaccinator status and long-acting injectable trained status).. ard staff will notify pharmacists as soon as this status update option is operational.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.
Physician General Dr. Denise Johnson issued an updated naloxone standing order to include a form of eight milligram naloxone nasal spray. NACDS reminds members that Pennsylvania has a broad program that will reimburse pharmacies for patient copayments for naloxone when the patient is hesitant to pay and any patient with any type of insurance coverage is eligible. For more detail, see the program bulletin and detailed adjudication specifications.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-525-8962.
Tennessee: Renee Williams-Clark has left TennCare as Chief Pharmacy Officer. Lorraine Buerhaus has been named interim CPO. Pharmacists interested in applying for this position can do so here.
Also in Tennessee, The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) will present its free online seminar, “Diversion is a Threat to Patient Safety: Adopting Best Practices for Safe Management of Controlled Substances,“ on April 6, 1-2 pm ET.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.
Renee Williams-Clark has left TennCare as Chief Pharmacy Officer. Lorraine Buerhaus has been named interim CPO. Pharmacists interested in applying for this position can do so here.
Also in Tennessee, The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) will present its free online seminar, “Diversion is a Threat to Patient Safety: Adopting Best Practices for Safe Management of Controlled Substances,“ on April 6, 1-2 pm ET.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.
The Vermont Office of Boards, Commissions & Public Service announced that there was a vacancy on the Board of Pharmacy. If a Vermont pharmacist is interested in filling the vacant spot the application for filling the new position can be found here. The next Board of Pharmacy meeting is April 27.
For more information, please contact NACDS’ Ben Pearlman at 617-515-2603.
Two conference committee reports, HB 1323, and SB 672, that would make pharmacists’ and technicians’ immunization and testing authority permanent have been approved by the General Assembly and are Governor Youngkin’s desk. The bills would also allow pharmacists to prescribe tobacco cessation medications, adding to the current list of therapies pharmacists can initiate under a Board of Pharmacy protocol. The immunization provisions would be effective upon the expiration of the PREP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) Act declarations. Gov. Youngkin (R) has until midnight on April 11 to approve the bills or let them become law without his signature. NACDS and VACDS (Virginia Association of Chain Drug Stores) were actively involved in the drafting and passage of these bills as part of our Scope of Practice Campaign. We will be reaching out to Gov. Youngkin to urge him to sign these bills and will provide inform
For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.
Governor Kay Ivey (R) has signed SB102 which authorizes an approved pharmacy intern or extern to compound or dispense prescription. Authorizes the Board of Pharmacy to issue a pharmacy intern/extern permit authorizing the pharmacy intern or extern to compound or dispense prescriptions while serving under the direct supervision of a licensed pharmacist. Creates a pharmacy intern/extern permit application process that authorizes the collection of a fee and a background check. Immediate direct supervision is defined as at least one pharmacist being always present and available on the premises of the pharmacy for consultation with the intern or extern.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.
SB (Senate Bill) 1016, legislation requiring a pharmacist to dispense all prescription orders during a public health state of emergency with certain immunity protections and conditions for refusal to dispense, failed to pass the State Senate with a vote of 14-15.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.