The Department of Safety and Professional Services announced a new LicensE Public Application Status Lookup toll that makes it easier for employers to track the application status of current and future employees.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.
On December 13, join the Alabama Pharmacy Association’s (APA’s) Year-End Continuing Education Webinar from 6:00-8:00 p.m. (CST) and earn two hours of live credit. Sessions will include “Pharmacy Law” with Stephen Brown, JD, PharmD, Assistant Professor, Samford-McWhorter, and “2023 Legislative Session Primer” with Bobby Giles, RPh, APA Government Affairs Director. Register on the APA website.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.
The Board of Pharmacy adopted the following changes to proposed rules (Regulation project amending sections 12 AAC 52.020 through 12 AAC 52.990). These regulations will take effect on December 28.
Pharmacists
Removal of the transcript requirement
Delegation of examination eligibility approval to the NABP
Authorizes a pharmacist-in-charge (PIC) to serve as a PIC for more than one pharmacy upon a written request to the board
Allows the official License Transfer Application to also serve as a license verification from the reciprocating state
Removes requirement to submit separate verifications of licensure for reciprocity applicants
Clarifies patient counseling requirements
Interns
Expands the criteria to qualify for an internship license by recognizing recent graduates
Extends the duration of the license from two years to five years
Replaces the 1,500 hours education requirement for pharmacist licensure with standardized language
Removes the affidavit of moral character requirement
Technicians
Clarifies pharmacy technician duties
Removes language relating to on-the-job training for the preparation of sterile pharmaceuticals
Pharmacies
Replaces the requirement for pharmacies located outside of the state to submit a certified true copy of the home jurisdiction license with a simple copy
Replaces the inspection report requirement with an attestation that an inspection will be completed
Facilities
Removes the fingerprint and resume requirements for wholesale drug distributors, outsourcing facilities and third-party logistics providers
For wholesale drug distributors, requires a copy of the home jurisdiction license only if the state requires licensure as a wholesale drug distributor
Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP)
Adopts by reference the PDMP data dispenser submission guide
Recognizes 3rd party reporting vendors
Defines “appropriate identifier” as the provider’s/pharmacist’s license number
Clarifies that a provider/pharmacist must submit a zero report when no scheduled II – IV controlled substances are dispensed
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
The Department of Health Care Services posted the following alerts and weekly notices on the Medi-Cal Rx Web Portal. Please note the delay in the planned resumption of retroactive adjustments and recoupment activity in “Recommencement of Pharmacy Retroactive Claim Adjustments: Status Update”. Also note the MAIC notice regarding rates effective January 1, 2023 in “Maximum Allowable Ingredient Cost 30-Day Pharmacy Provider Notice”.
Also in California, Medi-Cal posted the following:
Finally in California, the Board of Pharmacy posted the agenda and meeting materials for its meeting scheduled for December 14. Please note the discussion and consideration of statutory proposals to establish a requirement for reporting medication errors to the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) and related to working conditions (see Attachment 2).
For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.
When the Public Health Emergency (PHE) that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) declared in January of 2020 in response to the outbreak of COVID-19 ends, everyone enrolled in Health First Colorado (Medicaid) was guaranteed to keep their health coverage during the PHE. However, the Department of Health Care Policy & Financing (HCPF) will take 12 months (14 months including noticing) to complete the renewal process for each of the approximately 1.6 million people currently enrolled. Medicaid members need to pay attention to renewal notices and fill out the necessary forms to make sure they keep their Health First Colorado and CHP+ coverage, if they are still eligible.
Also in Colorado, on December 5, the HCPF sent the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) an official proposal to import lower-cost prescription drugs from Canada.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
The Office of Controlled Substances announced the 2023 meeting schedule for the Controlled Substance Advisory Committee. Meetings will be held at 9:00 a.m. on January 25, April 26, July 26 and October 25.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.
The following flexibilities in response to Hurricane Nicole, expired November 30:
For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.
The Indiana Health Coverage Programs (IHCP) posted a provider Bulletin which includes billing guidance for pediatric vaccine counseling and pharmacy reimbursement updates for COVID vaccine administration.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
The Kentucky Pharmacy Education & Research Foundation (KPERF), the Kentucky Pharmacists Association’s tax-exempt charitable foundation, recently announced a funding opportunity for pharmacist-led non-invasive colorectal cancer (CRC) screening for which they are seeking pharmacy applicants. They will choose six pharmacies based on their readiness, the expectation that they can see ten patients per month, their geographical location in Kentucky and the needs of their community. As a reminder, in 2021, the Board of Pharmacy approved a colorectal cancer screening protocol allowing pharmacists to initiate the dispensing of noninvasive stool-based CRC screening patients aged 45-85 years at average risk for colorectal cancer. For more information on this protocol and all pharmacy protocols approved in the state, click here.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.