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So far Michael Silber has created 2529 blog entries.

Alabama

It is time again for the Payment Error Rate Measurement (PERM) Cycle for Medicaid Pharmacy providers. CMS collaborates with a vendor to conduct PERM retrospective reviews (i.e., audits) on Medicaid claims, and they are beginning their reviews on our program. Of note: 

  • The Payment Error Rate Measurement (PERM) program, authorized by CMS, has begun its reviews for Review Year (RY) 2026. 
  • The Payment Error Rate Measurement (PERM) program measures improper payments in the Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and produces state and national-level error rates for each program.  
  • PERM RY2026 will review claims from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025. 
  • Empower AI, Inc. is the Review Contractor (RC) for PERM RY2026, and providers will be contacted by representatives from Empower AI, Inc. Providers must respond to all Medicaid Record Requests (MRRs) from the RC. MRRs have begun as of May 5, 2025. 
  • All PERM questions from Medicaid's providers should be referred to the PERM Program Manager, Faith Pedro at (334) 242-5346 or Faith.Pedro@medicaid.alabama.gov.  

 

The Department respectfully asks that pharmacy providers respond to ALL PERM REQUESTS in a timely manner, as this is a mandatory review; Medicaid is 'graded' on our providers' response rates.   

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

2025-05-08T14:09:07-04:00May 8, 2025|Alabama|

California

The May 2025 issue of the Board of Pharmacy's newsletter, The Script, is now published online. The newsletter includes information on the following: 

 

  • New PIC training online seminar 
  • Ensuring consumers receive medication (BPC 733) 
  • Online portal for drug thefts and loss 
  • SB 339: emergency to permanent regulation 
  • How to support future licensees through donating to a scholarship fund 
  • Wholesaler Thresholds 
  • Becoming an inspector 
  • CURES fee increase 
  • Tribal health professionals' exemptions 

 

Previous newsletters can also be viewed and downloaded. Go to the "Quick Hits" column at www.pharmacy.ca.gov and click on The Script-Archive to find electronic issues of The Script published since October 1998. 

 

Also in California, the Board of Pharmacy published an update on medication error reporting.  Business and Professions Code (BPC) section 4113.1 establishes requirements for a community pharmacy to report medication errors to an entity approved by the Board. The statute requiring medication error reporting can be viewed here:  BPC section 4113.1. In September 2024, 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. 

  

Pursuant to BPC section 4113.1, "community pharmacy" includes any pharmacy that dispenses medication to an outpatient, including both resident (PHY and PHE) and nonresident (NRP) pharmacies, but does not include facilities of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Additionally, outpatient hospital pharmacies are not required to report a medication error under BPC section 4113.1 if the error meets the requirements of an adverse event that has been reported to the State Department of Public Health pursuant to section 1279.1 of the Health and Safety Code. 

  

A community pharmacy shall submit the report no later than 14 days after the date of the error's discovery. The community pharmacy shall maintain records demonstrating compliance with this requirement for three years and shall make these records immediately available at the request of a Board of Pharmacy inspector. 

  

ISMP, as the Board-approved entity, sent a postcard to community pharmacy licensees the week of April 21 with information about how to register with ISMP's California medication error reporting program. Registration can be completed using this website: https://mederrors.ismp.org/. If you experience any technical issues when signing up for California's medication error reporting program through ISMP, please email clientservices@ecri.org. Licensees are encouraged to register by May 24.  The online reporting system will be available to submit reports in early June 2025. You will receive a follow-up email from ISMP in early June 2025 with a link to the user registration page of the online reporting system. 

  

FAQs regarding medication error reporting are available online.  

 

Finally in California, the Department of Health Care Service posted the following weekly notices, alerts, and monthly bulletin on the Medi-Cal Rx Web Portal.  

 

For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.

2025-05-08T14:08:34-04:00May 8, 2025|California|

Florida

NACDS submitted comments to the Board of Pharmacy in support of proposed rules eliminating the current maximum pharmacy technician-to-pharmacist ratios across various pharmacy settings. Instead, the proposed rules would allow supervising pharmacists to determine the number of technicians under their oversight, thereby enabling pharmacies to optimize the use of pharmacy technicians to perform technical and administrative tasks and allowing pharmacists to dedicate more time to direct patient care. 

Also in Florida, the State Legislature has passed a concurrent resolution to extend the Legislative Session until 11:59 pm on June 6, in accordance with Section 3(d), Article III of the State Constitution. All other measures in both houses were indefinitely postponed and withdrawn from consideration of the respective House as of 12:00 am on May 3. The Legislature will only be considering bills related to the budget during the extension. Senate President Ben Albritton (R) issued a statement on the 60th day of the 2025 legislative session, announcing that the Senate has developed "a framework for a budget plan and a tentative schedule to move forward" in agreement with the House. As part of this agreement, the Senate and House are proposing a historic $2.8 billion in tax relief. The Legislature is expected to return to Tallahassee the week of May 12 to hash out differing ideas about the spending plan for the coming fiscal year. 

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

2025-05-08T14:07:53-04:00May 8, 2025|Florida|

Illinois

The Pharmacy Practice Act allows pharmacists in the state to provide PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) under a standing order issued by either an Illinois-licensed physician or the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH). IDPH has now issued said standing order, along with a corresponding press release. In accordance with the law and the standing order’s protocols, pharmacists are required to complete specific training. Additionally, IDPH will monitor and collect data on the program’s utilization. For patients, IDPH has established this website. 

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

2025-05-08T14:07:16-04:00May 8, 2025|Illinois|

Iowa

The Department of Health and Human Services, Iowa Medicaid posted INFORMATIONAL LETTER NO. 2685-MC-FFS-D – June 2025 Iowa Medicaid Pharmacy Program Changes effective June 1. 

Also in Iowa, Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) announced the US Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service approved a demonstration project for the state's own summer food pilot program. Healthy Kids Iowa is an alternative to the summer EBT program that serves Iowa children healthier foods at a lower cost by leveraging Iowa's already-existing, successful network of summer feeding programs and community providers.  With the state's summer feeding demonstration project, each family will be able to select $40 worth of fresh and nutritious food for each eligible child per month. Families will be able to choose their monthly items, respecting their preferences and cultural and dietary needs.  The Healthy Kids Iowa pilot program will run in June, July and August 2025. 

For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.

2025-05-08T14:06:50-04:00May 8, 2025|Iowa|

Maine

On May 1, the Joint Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs held another budget work session, that was called on short notice. The Chairs never brought up the pharmacy tax, nor moved the budget. The bill remains pending before the joint committee. NACDS, working with the Maine Pharmacists Association and Retail Association of Maine, helped advocate against a potential “compromise” that would have exempted the independent pharmacies from the tax. While being fundamentally unfair, that compromise would have negated the federal match, eliminating the tax’s utility. NACDS will continue to lobby the Governor’s office and the legislature throughout the budget process. The next legislative work session for the Joint Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs was May 8. The bill must be moved by the Joint Appropriations Committee and approved by both chambers of the legislature. The fiscal year ends June 30.

For more information, please contact NACDS’ Mike Sargent at 207-272-6435.

2025-05-08T14:05:57-04:00May 8, 2025|Maine|

Massachusetts

On April 29, the Joint Committee on Financial Services heard both H1091 and S800, Acts Relative to Pharmacists as Health Care Providers. These bills would authorize the Department of Public Health to allow pharmacists to order, test, screen and treat patients. H1091 and S800 would also require pharmacies to be reimbursed for services. NACDS submitted testimony and will continue to support the bill throughout the legislative session which ends July 31, 2026.    

Also in Massachusetts, the Board of Pharmacy released three updates:  

Policy 2025-01: Rapid Microbial Methods (Rapid Sterility Testing) 

Outlines general considerations and requirements for compounding pharmacies contemplating the use of an alternative sterility testing method. 

  

Policy 2022-02: Extended Absence or Departure of a Manager of Record or Designated Pharmacist-in-Charge 

Addresses non-resident Designated PIC absences and departures. 

  

Opioid REMS Program 

Pharmacies can order take-back envelopes and access other information on this website. 

For more information, please contact NACDS’ Mike Sargent at 207-272-6435.

2025-05-08T14:05:24-04:00May 8, 2025|Massachusetts|

Nebraska

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Division of Medicaid and Long-Term Care (MLTC) is seeking individuals to serve on the Medicaid Advisory Committee (MAC). The MAC has a broad focus and includes a diverse range of stakeholders, including healthcare providers, community organizations, advocates and policy experts. The MAC advises the Medicaid agency on overall policy development and program improvements. For the MAC, the MLTC is seeking healthcare providers, community-based organizations, tribal representatives, public health professionals, social service providers, advocates and others with insight into the Medicaid system. To learn more or apply, explore the following online resources:  

Also in Nebraska, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recently sent out its first issuance of Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) benefits.  Throughout the 2025 Summer EBT period, households with eligible school-age children can receive assistance in buying groceries with the program's second year of operation. A one-time payment of $120 will be issued for each eligible child, intended to cover the three summer months at $40 a month.  Eligible families will have 122 days, or four months, to use Summer EBT benefits.  Summer EBT benefits can be used to purchase food at grocery stores, online food retailers, and farmer's markets that accept SNAP EBT.  

Finally in Nebraska, Gov. Jim Pillen (R) signed LB 168, the 340B Contract Pharmacy Protection Act, legislation prohibiting any manufacturer from either directly or indirectly, denying, restricting, or prohibiting the acquisition of any 340B drug by or delivery of any 340B drug to any authorized 340B location.  

For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.

2025-05-08T14:04:45-04:00May 8, 2025|Nebraska|

North Dakota

Gov. Kelly Armstrong (R) signed several bills of interest into law including HB 1087, legislation replacing “certificate of authority” requirement for PBMs with a “licensure” requirement; HB 1584, legislation outlining requirements for licensure of PBMs; creating a PBM enforcement fund, strengthening enforcement of PBM laws and regulations and establishing penalties for PBMs found in violation of laws and regulations; and HB 1473, legislation prohibiting any manufacturer from either directly or indirectly, denying, restricting or prohibiting the acquisition of a drug by a contract pharmacy and from interfering with the ability of a covered entity or contract pharmacy to dispense a drug to an eligible patient of the covered entity. 

For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.

2025-05-08T14:04:04-04:00May 8, 2025|North Dakota|
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