Walgreens pharmacist Troy Menard, a member of the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy, was chosen by his peers and honored by NACDS at the Louisiana Pharmacist Association Annual Convention’s award ceremony as the “2022 Chain Pharmacist of the Year.” {PHOTO Left to right: Walgreens pharmacists Jeff Gaude with Troy Menard}
Also in Louisiana, effective July 1st, the Medicaid Fee for Service Pharmacy Program and Managed Care Organizations will be reduced 30-cents from $37.08 to $36.78 to align with the Medicare rate and Louisiana Medicaid Professional Services. No dispensing fee shall be reimbursed, only an administration fee. At home, administration of the COVID-19 vaccine for any dose will be increased 38-cents from $32.60 to $32.98 for a total reimbursement of $69.76 ($32.98 + $36.78) or billed charges, whichever is the lesser amount.
Also in Louisiana, the Department of Health (LDH) Bureau of Health Services Financing sent a reminder memo that Medicaid will begin denying claims on December 31, 2022, for providers that have not completed the enrollment process through the Medicaid Provider Enrollment Portal by September 30.
Also In Louisiana, Gov. John Bel Edwards signed into law HB 673/Act 723 that establishes a new Pharmacy Benefit Manager Advisory Council. Both NACDS and our in-state partner, the Louisiana Alliance for Retail Pharmacies (LARP) have designated seats on the Council. The purpose of the Council is to provide monitoring of pharmacy benefit managers in Louisiana to advise the legislature, commissioner of insurance, and Board of Pharmacy on the most effective and efficient manner of regulation of pharmacy benefit managers to ensure the protection of the public.
Also in Louisiana, on July 13th both the Prescription Benefits Manager Monitoring Advisory Council (PBM-MAC) and the Pharmacy Benefit Manager Council (PMPAC) held in-person meetings in Baton Rouge. NACDS has designated seats on both Councils.
Finally in Louisiana, on July 1, Medicaid implemented a new preferred drug list (PDL). There were no new therapeutic classes added to the PDL at the spring 2022 Pharmaceutical & Therapeutics (P&T) Committee meeting.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.