On April 27, 2023, the MassHealth Pharmacy Program announced that “effective May 1, 2023, through March 31, 2024, MassHealth members, including those in managed care plans, do not have to pay copays for prescription drugs. This also applies to Health Safety Net (HSN) patients during this period.”
For more information, please contact NACDS’ Ben Pearlman at 617-515-2603.
Pharmacy technicians immunizing under the Board’s statutes and rules must complete an initial and annual documented competency assessment. A sample Technician Immunization Assessment Checklist template is intended for guidance purposes only to assist licensees and should be modified as appropriate for your practice setting.
Also in Missouri, the 2023 Practice Guide contains updated compliance tips and information on recent statutory/rule changes, including, new/revised sections on Pharmacy Working Conditions, Technician Supervision & Expanded Technician Activities, Electronic Final Product Verification by Pharmacists, Technology-Assisted Product Verification by Interns & Technicians, and Quality Assurance.
Finally in Missouri, the 2023 Missouri Pharmacy statutes and rules law book is available here.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
Gov. Greg Gianforte (R) signed the following bills:
For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.
The Department of Health and Human Services posted the Practitioner Fee Schedule for Injectables effective April 1, 2023. The Department also posted the COVID-19 Fee Schedule effective April 21.
Also in Nebraska, the Department of Health and Human Services published the following:
Also in Nebraska, the Department of Health and Human Services announced the DUR (Drug Utilization Review) Board Meeting scheduled for May 9 has been cancelled. The next meeting will be held on July 11.
Finally in Nebraska, the Department of Health and Human Services announced a public hearing on May 31 to receive comments on proposed changes to Title 471, Chapter 7 of the Nebraska Administrative Code (NAC) – Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Medical Supplies (DMEPOS). The proposed changes set the regulations’ scope and authority; update definitions; expand prescription authority; update provider requirements; update service requirements for covered and non-covered services; add glucose monitors as a covered service; update billing and payment requirements; remove unnecessary and outdated language; remove duplicate statutory language from the regulations; update formatting; and restructure the regulatory chapter. Written comments may be submitted no later than the day of the hearing to: DHHS Legal Services, PO Box 95026, Lincoln, NE 68509-5026, (402) 742-2382 (fax) or dhhs.regulations@nebraska.gov, respectively.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.
On April 27, 2023, Governor Hochul announced an budget agreement with the legislature that held off all efforts to repeal the NYRx, the Medicaid prescription benefit carve out for fee-for-service. As of April 1, 2023, all Medicaid members enrolled in Mainstream Managed Care now receive their prescription drugs through the program.
On April 24, 2023, NACDS participated in a pharmacy lobby day in Albany, in collaboration with the Community Pharmacy Association of New York and the Pharmacist State Society of New York. Members and pharmacists lobbied in support of S3467: CLIA-waived testing, S6337: expanding the Long Acting Injectables law, and for final signature of A 1060: pharmacists administered contraceptives.
For more information, please contact NACDS’ Ben Pearlman at 617-515-2603.
On April 5, Gov. Doug Burgum (R) signed SB 2378, legislation related to clinician-administered drugs. The new law includes language that prohibits a PBM from requiring “a patient, as a condition of payment of reimbursement, to purchase pharmacist services, including prescriptions drugs, exclusively through a mail-order pharmacy or a pharmacy benefit manager affiliate, or a combination of both.”
Also in North Dakota, on April 10, Gov. Doug Burgum (R) signed HB 1095, legislation including comprehensive medication management services in health benefit plans.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.
Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready (R) recently filed an administrative action against CVS citing a violation of state law prohibiting patient steering. The administrative hearing is scheduled on May 25, 2023.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
The Department of Human Services began issuing $170 million in Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) food benefits to 434,000 students and young children in late March through May. These additional food benefits are part of the Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) program, a temporary COVID-19 response program meant to provide additional food support for children whose access to food provided through school programs may have been impacted by COVID-19. A P-EBT card containing $391 in food benefits, which is different from a regular electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card, will be sent by mail to each eligible child.
Also in Oregon, the Oregon Health Authority published a final rule effective April 1, amending Prior Authorization Approval Criteria Guide & Preferred Drug List DUR/P&T Actions. (OAR 410-121-0030, OAR 410-121-0040)
Also in Oregon, the Board of Pharmacy published a final rule effective April 4, amending Committee Member Compensation. (OAR 855-010-0016)
Also in Oregon, the Board of Pharmacy posted the following:
Also in Oregon, the Board of Pharmacy is proposing to adopt the following rules and announced a May 23 public hearing. Written comments may be sent to pharmacy.rulemaking@bop.oregon.gov no later than 4:30 p.m. on May 23.
Finally in Oregon, the Board of Pharmacy adopted the following Temporary Rule, effective May 5: Division 045 – related to USP <795> and USP <797> Adopted Standards by Reference
For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.
HB 1105 by Rep. Four Price (R), legislation that lowers the age to 3-years old and up for pharmacists, pharmacist interns and certified pharmacy technicians to administer all vaccines and immunizations without a patient specific prescription or medical order was voted favorably out of the House Public Health Committee on April 26th by a 7-4 vote.
Also in Texas, on April 25th, the House Human Services Committee held a hearing on HB 1293, Rep. Toni Rose’s (D) Medicaid rate floor bill that all pharmacy groups support, would require PBMs’ pharmacy reimbursement to at least cover the pharmacy costs. Committee members questioned Priscilla Parrilla with the Health and Humans Services Commission’s Vendor Drug Program about the concerning fiscal note, and requested VDP (Vendor Drug Program) provide the committee with more information on how that was calculated. The bill was left pending in the committee.
Also in Texas, on April 26th, the Senate Health and Human Services held a hearing on SB 1619 by Sen. Charles Perry (R), legislation supported by all pharmacy groups that would prohibit the Health and Human Services Commission’s Vendor Drug Program from including any discount price offered for the prescription drug, including a discount offered through a third-party discount card when defining the price of a prescription drug for purposes of determining the Usual and Customary (U&C) reimbursement rate for Medicaid. The bill was left pending in the committee.
The Senate Health and Human Services also took testimony on SB 1137 by Sen. Charles Schwertner (R), PBM ERISA (Employee Retirement Income Security Act) reform legislation being led by the Texas Pharmacy Association and the Texas Pharmacy Business Council that is supported by all pharmacy groups. The companion bill by Rep. Tom Oliverson (R), HB 2021, was heard in the House Insurance Committee on March 21st. Both bills were left pending in committee.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.