The Joint Pharmacist Administered Vaccines Committee revised the Protocol for Pharmacist Administered Vaccines. This revision has been reviewed and approved by the SC Board of Medical Examiners. The updated protocol moves flu to age 3 and up and adds the COVID vaccine to the list of approved vaccines. The protocol can be found here.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.
TennCare has released a new provider notice regarding COVID-19 vaccine pharmacy claims. This notice contains two important updates. One includes the addition of Johnson & Johnson vaccines and the single-dose administration payment. The other update involves a newly established Collaborative Pharmacy Practice Agreement (CPPA) to order and administer COVID-19 vaccines for the State’s TennCare population, which includes CoverKids and CoverRx.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.
The Board of Pharmacy issued two final rules that went into effect on March 14. One final rule amends the notification requirements for pharmacists who sign prescription orders for dangerous drugs under a written protocol, and another final rule clarifies that the requirement to consult the Prescription Monitoring Program before dispensing opioids, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, or carisoprodol is limited to outpatient prescriptions.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
HB 2097 has passed both Chambers and is on its way to Governor Northam for signature. The bill, sponsored by Del. Sam Rasoul (D), is a continuation of the pharmacy protocol bill that NACDS, VACDS, and VpHA jointly championed and passed last year that was enacted in January. HB 2097 would further expand pharmacists’ ability to initiate testing and/or treatment for certain conditions including HIV and Tuberculosis under the protocol. It also would allow pharmacists to dispense over-the-counter drugs, devices, controlled paraphernalia, and other supplies and equipment covered by the patient’s health carrier when the patient’s out-of-pocket cost is lower than the out-of-pocket cost to purchase an over-the-counter equivalent of the same. The measure requires the Board of Pharmacy, in collaboration with the Board of Medicine and the Department of Health, to establish protocols for these services by November 1, 2021.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.
The Health Care Authority submitted a Medicaid state plan amendment (SPA 21-0012) providing the state flexibility to automatically enroll COVID-19 vaccine administration providers that have already completed Medicare application processes for participation. It also allows the Medicaid program the flexibility to not require NPIs for the administration of vaccines to Medicaid recipients during the public health emergency.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
Last week, Assembly Member Jim Wood (D), chair of the Assembly Health Budget Committee, gutted and amended AB 1710 to allow pharmacists to initiate and administer FDA-approved vaccines. NACDS is seeking an amendment to allow FDA-authorized vaccines too.
Also in California. Prior to the July 1, 2020 deadline required in the state constitution, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the 2020 Budget Act – a $202.1 billion spending plan that closed a $54.3 billion budget shortfall caused by the COVID-19 recession.
Also in California. Gov. Gavin Newsom extended for 60 more days, until September 9th, his Executive Order issued on May 12, 2020, waiving the restrictions on pharmacists ordering and collecting specimens for COVID-19 tests.
Also in California. Because several legislators have tested positive for COVID, neither the Assembly nor Senate are returning to work at the Capitol next week. The legislature shutdown for two months earlier this year because of the pandemic.
Also in California. NACDS and the California Board of Pharmacy submitted the attached joint letter to the Senate Business, Professions, and Economic Development Committee opposing AB 2983 which imposes inefficient requirements that will impede that automated refill process causing delays in patient access.
Also in California. NACDS virtually presented to the Board of Pharmacy’s Licensing Committee and Legislative and Regulation Committee on pharmacists immunizations and COVID testing and the authority to perform CLIA-waived tests for COVID19. Presentations can be found here.
Also in California. NACDS sent a joint letter with the California Retailers Association and the California Pharmacists Association to Gov. Gavin Newsom urging him to issue an Executive Order removing the remaining barriers to expanding access to COVID testing by pharmacists.
Also in California. In response to the Governor’s emergency declaration and consistent with the authority of the Board to waive Pharmacy Law or the regulations adopted pursuant to it, last week the Board president extended the following previously approved limited waivers:
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
NACDS submitted a letter to the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies- Board of Pharmacy requesting a permanent waiver allowing pharmacists to independently order and administer COVID-19 tests, including serology tests, that have received Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), or equivalent regulatory authorization, subject to the disclaimers and limitations required by the FDA, in addition to any CLIA-waived point-of-care tests. NACDS also recommended that pharmacists may delegate the administration of any vaccines and immunizations, including vaccines authorized by the FDA to trained pharmacy interns or pharmacy technicians.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
On June 29, 2020, Governor Ron DeSantis signed HB.59, sponsored by Representative Matt Willhite (D), which authorizes a community pharmacy to use an automated pharmacy system, effective July 1, 2020.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.
With SF 2357 recently signed into law, prescriptions issued by a Physician Assistant are no longer required to include the name of the supervising physician. For more information, please see the Iowa Board of Pharmacy newsletter.
Also in Iowa. The Iowa Board of Pharmacy published a response to the June 25 Proclamation of Disaster Emergency issued by Gov. Kim Reynolds.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Joel Kurzman at 847-905-0555.