California

AB 317, legislation requiring a health care service plan or certain disability insurers that offer coverage for a service that is within a pharmacist’s scope of practice to pay or reimburse the cost of the service provided by the pharmacist at an in-network pharmacy or by a pharmacist at an out-of-network pharmacy if the health care service plan or insurer has an out-of-network pharmacy benefit, passed the Assembly on April 27 and was referred to the Senate Committee on Health on May 10. 

Also in California, AB 1341, legislation authorizing a pharmacist to furnish COVID-19 oral therapeutics following a positive CLIA-waived test, passed the Assembly on April 17 and was referred to the Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development Committee on May 10. Prior to passage in the Assembly, the bill was amended to include an urgency statute meaning it will be effective immediately upon enactment. 

Also in California, the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) posted the following alerts and weekly wrap-up on the Medi-Cal Rx Web Portal:   

• Medi-Cal Rx Weekly Wrap-up for May 12-18 (May 19) 
• Reinstatement Spotlight (May 19) 
• Billing Tips: Non-Covered Medical Supplies (May 12) 

 Finally in California, Medi-Cal posted the following:   

• Medi-Cal Update – Pharmacy – May 2023 – Bulletin 1039 (May 16) 
• Medi-Cal Update – Durable Medical Equipment and Medical Supplies – May 2023 – Bulletin 572 (May 16) 

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