The Health Care Authority announced that the University of Washington Pain and Opioid Provider Consultation Hotline is a free telephone consultation service for health care providers caring for patients with chronic pain issues. Any health care provider in Washington State can receive consultation and recommendations from a pharmacist or physician with specialized expertise in chronic pain care.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
All previously published expiration dates related to the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) are being extended by the Alabama Medicaid Agency (Medicaid). The new expiration date is the earlier of August 31, 2022, the conclusion of the COVID-19 national emergency, or any expiration date noticed by the Alabama Medicaid Agency through a subsequent ALERT.
Medicaid is preparing now for the end of the COVID-19 PHE. Medicaid partners can assist in relaying a consistent and simple message to the Medicaid recipients by sharing key messages from the Agency in your newsletters, social media posts, and other means of communication. To learn more about the “Yellow Postcard” campaign and the Communication Toolkit, please click here.
Also in Alabama, registration is open for the APhA Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery Certificate Training Program hosted by Alabama Pharmacy Association (APA). The program is scheduled for Saturday, August 13, from 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. at the APA office in Montgomery. The program is an innovative, intensive, and practice-based CPE activity, based on national educational standards for immunization training from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control). For more information and to register for the full certification course
Additionally, if it has been longer than three years since you were certified and you want a refresher course or if you need to satisfy the PREP Act’s 2-hour immunization CPE requirement, APA is offering six hours of continuing education in conjunction with the APhA program (minus the shots), which will include the most current immunization recommendations and guidelines. Also, the program has been approved by the Alabama Board of Pharmacy for six hours of consultant credit. For more information and to register for the refresher
For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.
Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) signed into law HB (House Bill) 145 which recognizes pharmacists as prescribers and mandates payment parity reimbursement for pharmacy services. The bill also broadens collaborative practice agreements, allows pharmacists to independently prescribe and dispense vaccines, and allows pharmacy technicians to administer vaccines and emergency medications. It will go into effect on September 28, 2022.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
The Notice of Final Rulemaking related to Pharmacist Delegation/Technicians was published in the “Arizona Administrative Register” with an effective date of July 2, 2022. See PDF pages 994-998.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.
New rules on therapeutic substitutions were adopted by the Board of Pharmacy, effective May 10, 2022.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) posted the July 2022 Durable Medical Equipment and Medical Supplies Bulletin 562 including the following updates:
In addition, the Part 1 – Program and Eligibility bulletin was posted to the Medi-Cal website.
Also in California, the DHCS posted the July 2022 Pharmacy Bulletin 1019 on the Medi-Cal website with content similar to the bulletin above with the addition of O&P Services Recategorized as Surgery Supplies.
Also in California, the DHCS posted “Paper RADs [Remittance Advice Details] AND No Pay Documents Will No Longer Be Mailed Due to Supply Chain Issues.” Effective, July 18, 2022, RAD (Remittance Advice Details), EFT [Electronic Funds Transfer] and No Pay documents will only be available electronically. There is no impact on paper warrants or direct deposit payments. Additionally, the Medi-Cal Checkwrite Schedule will remain unchanged. Additionally, providers will be able to access them online PDF RADs and HIPAA 835 files as published. Providers who have not yet transitioned to the PDF RADs are encouraged to do so.
Also in California, the Department of Health Care Services posted the following alerts on the Medi-Cal Rx Web Portal.
Finally in California, the Board of Pharmacy posted its meeting agenda and meeting materials for the July 27-28 Full Board Meeting.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.
The state Medicaid Health Coverage Programs’ (IHCP) Drug Utilization Review (DUR) Board issued several updates in the IHCP Bulletin for pharmacies.
Also in Indiana, effective August 1, the IHCP will cover COIVD-19 Vaccine Counseling as part of Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Testing (EPSDT) benefit. Coverage applies to all IHCP programs for beneficiaries under the age of 21 who are eligible for EPSDT.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
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.
As the Mississippi Division of Medicaid’s (DOM) transitions to a new Medicaid Management Information System (MMIS), the Department has announced a series of workshop webinars will be available in August and September to train providers in how to use the new system, MESA: Medicaid Enterprise System Assistance. Details about those webinars and instructions on how to register for them can be found on Gainwell Technology’s new Learning Management System (LMS), which is now available online.
Only current Medicaid-enrolled providers will be able to access the LMS and register for training (the webinars are not intended for CHIP-only providers). To verify your status as a Medicaid provider, you are asked to:
Providers can also learn more about MESA and find the latest updates and FAQs on the system implementation on DOM’s website.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.
