Effective October 1, 2023, Medicaid will reimburse continuous glucose monitors and other diabetic supplies as a pharmacy benefit.
Also in Louisiana, the Department of Health (LDH) and its vendor Magellan Medicaid Administration (MMA) finally held an online seminar on July 17 detailing their plans to migrate to a Single MCO PBM on October 1, 2023. Pharmacy stakeholders were briefed on their plans to open a portal with on-line training videos and a testing window beginning on August 1. All pharmacies need to have a signed contract with MMA. New ID cards will be mailed by mid-September, but the Member’s ID number will remain the same, so no crosswalk is needed.
Also in Louisiana, by line-item vetoing certain sections in HB 1, the state’s budget bill, Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) restored the $100 million reduction in funding to Louisiana Department of Health (LDH). Had the Governor not acted, the cuts would have caused loss of funding and federal matching funds, totaling between $400 million and $700 million.
Also in Louisiana, Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) vetoed two school vaccine bills, HB 182 and HB 399, that the Governor feared could undermine public confidence in vaccines. The Legislature has an Override Veto Session scheduled to convene on July 18.
Also in Louisiana, the Department of Health posted several provider notices of interest to pharmacies:
- Louisiana Medicaid Pharmacy Point of Sale Quantity Limits – Effective July 1, 2023
- Louisiana Medicaid Pharmacy Point of Sale (POS) Diagnosis Code Requirement – Effective July 1, 2023
- Louisiana Medicaid Pharmacy Point of Sale Clinical Authorization and Updates – Effective July 1, 2023
Finally in Louisiana, the Board of Pharmacy published two rules in the Louisiana Register with immediate effective dates.
- Regulatory Project 2022-06 – Nonresident Pharmacies amended the rules for nonresident pharmacies to replace the term “out-of-state” with “nonresident,” create parity between nonresident and resident pharmacy requirements, clarify intent and modify the responsibility on the pharmacist-in-charge (PIC) in the matter of policy and procedures. The rule was also amended to remove the requirement for nonresident pharmacies to designate a resident agent and registered office in Louisiana.
- Regulatory Project 2022-09 – Partial Fills of CDS (Controlled Substances) Prescriptions amended Sections 2735 and 2747 of rules relative to prescriptions for controlled dangerous substances (CDS). The change in Section 2735 places a requirement on pharmacies dispensing prescriptions for CDS to use a dispensing information system capable of accurately recording partial fills and refills of such prescriptions. The change in Section 2747 places a requirement on a pharmacist to dispense a partial fill of a prescription for a CDS when requested by the patient or prescriber, subject to the pharmacist’s obligation relative to corresponding responsibility.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.