The Department of Finance announced that the state’s revenue decline, estimating late last week that the overall budget deficit is approximately $54.3 billion.
Also in California... On May 12th, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced efforts to expand the state’s ability to provide more COVID-19 testing, including using pharmacists to test. For pharmacists to help, the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) issued the following DCA waiver DCA-20-14 Restrictions on Pharmacists Ordering and Collecting Specimens for COVID-19 Tests.
Also in California... Having received approval from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of the Department of Health Care Services’ (DHCS) request for multiple Section 1135 flexibilities related to Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), new guidance was issued. To the extent applicable, the following modifications also apply to CHIP through the duration of the public health emergency:
- Extending pre-existing authorizations.
- Accommodating circumstances that require relocation to an alternative setting to ensure the continuation of needed home and community-based services (HCBS).
- Temporarily waiving written consent under HCBS programs and permitting documented verbal consent as an alternative.
Also in California... NACDS participated in the Zoom Board meeting on May 7th where the following actions were taken.
- Re-elected President Greg Lippe, Vice President Debbie Veale, and Treasurer Maria Serpa to one-year terms as officers.
- Delegated authority to the president to grant Pharmacy Law waivers for up to 90 days and to extend existing waivers for up to 90 additional days.
- Approved a proposed regulation to add Title 16, CCR section 1714.3, Community Pharmacy Staffing without NACDS’ amendments.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.