In The States – Page 178 – Weekly news about states

South Carolina

The South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS) will operate on an updated schedule for Healthy Connections Medicaid claims submission and payments for one week in May 2022 to accommodate the state holiday observed May 10, 2022.

Tuesday, May 10, 2022, is designated as a South Carolina state holiday. Due to this holiday, claims must be submitted by 5 p.m. Sunday, May 8, 2022, to be included with the payment scheduled for Friday, May 13, 2022. Payments will run Monday, May 9, 2022. Electronic remittance advice may be available one day earlier than normal. Payments will be dated Friday, May 13, 2022.

Also in South Carolina, The Board of Pharmacy has been made aware that licensees are receiving scam phone calls from individuals impersonating state Board of Pharmacy inspectors and investigators. Licensees should be cautious of providing confidential or payment information over the phone without verifying the source is legitimate.

Scammers are calling pharmacists and telling them that their facility or individual license is under investigation. Scammers may also claim that they are working with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on a case, and further claim that the licensee is under investigation for suspicious activity or drug trafficking. In either case, the scammers claim that the licensee will face disciplinary action, a revoked license, or arrest if they do not immediately pay a fine over the phone.

Additionally, many scammers are “spoofing” the phone number used to make the call, making it appear that the phone number is from a legitimate source. Scammers may even give a fake name and a fraudulent inspector identification number as “proof” of identity. If the call sounds suspicious, hang up and call the South Carolina Board of Pharmacy directly at 803-896-4700 or contact the Board at Contact.Pharmacy@llr.sc.gov.

If a licensee receives a scam call from someone impersonating a state Board inspector or investigator, please report it immediately to Ray Trotter at Ray.Trotter@llr.sc.gov.

If the scammer is impersonating an FDA or DEA inspector, please make a report to the respective agency. In addition, the licensee may also report scam calls to the Federal Communication Commission’s consumer complaint program. Please provide as many details about the scam call as possible.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.

Michael Silber2022-05-06T10:09:31-04:00May 6, 2022|South Carolina|

Tennessee

Governor William Lee (R) signed SB (Senate Bill) 2446/HB 2131 into law on April 8, 2022, effective immediately, the legislation modernizes the definition of pharmacy technicians and now clearly allows a pharmacist to delegate tasks to a technician based on their education, training, and support, allowing all members of the pharmacy team to practice at the top of their education and training.

Also in Tennessee, Governor Bill Lee announced that Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Lisa Piercey will depart from state government and enter the private sector. She will remain with TDH through May 31, 2022.

Finally in Tennessee, the Tennessee Department of Health is looking to hire a Director of the Controlled Substance Monitoring Database (CSMD). Applications are being accepted now through May 20, 2022.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.

Michael Silber2022-05-06T10:08:19-04:00May 6, 2022|Tennessee|

Texas

The Health and Human Services Commission’s Vendor Drug Program wants to remind pharmacists that May 31st is the last day that the current Texas Medicaid Standing Order for Mosquito Repellent will be valid. Beginning June 1st, pharmacies must have a valid prescription from a Medicaid-enrolled provider to dispense mosquito repellent for Medicaid patients.

Also in Texas, the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) will suspend COVID-19 vaccine providers from ordering vaccines if they have not reported their current COVID-19 vaccine inventory effective May 6. Per the COVID-19 provider policy, COVID-19 vaccine providers must self-report by the fifth day of each month. Non-reporting providers will have their order privileges suspended until their monthly report is submitted.

Also in Texas, NACDS, Texas Federation of Drug Stores and our chain pharmacists met State Representatives Stephanie Klick (R), Chair of the House Public Health Committee, and Nicole Collier (D) who also serves on the House Public Health Committee, in their Tarrant County district offices. We shared stories of chain pharmacies engagement in the community during the pandemic and laid out our 2023 priority agenda.

Finally in Texas, Kroger pharmacists welcomed Ian Shaw, a Dallas attorney recently appointed as a public member on the Board of Pharmacy, behind the counter in a busy uptown pharmacy on a Friday afternoon.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.

Michael Silber2022-05-06T10:05:28-04:00May 6, 2022|Texas|

Utah

The Board of Pharmacy announced its next meeting on May 24; agenda is pending.

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

Michael Silber2022-05-06T10:00:35-04:00May 6, 2022|Utah|

Washington

The State Health Care Authority’s (HCA) emergency provisions for in-person interpreting allowing over the phone interpreting has ended. Now the Health Care Authority and Universal Language Service (ULS) signed the new spoken language contract to provide over-the-phone and video remote interpreting services. Providers must register under the new contract to have access to the over-the-phone and video remote interpreting contract. To register, email accounts@ulsonline.net. Pharmacists interested in providing interpreting services under the over-the-phone and video remote contract also must register via email at interpreter@ulsonline.net.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.

Michael Silber2022-05-06T09:59:57-04:00May 6, 2022|Washington|

Alaska

Effective May 14, the Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development amended regulations under 12 AAC 02 to reduce application, license, registration, and renewal fees for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, remote and other pharmacies, wholesale drug distributors, outsourcing facilities, and third-party logistics providers.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.

Michael Silber2022-04-22T09:23:16-04:00April 22, 2022|Alaska|

Arizona

HB 2841, the general appropriations act (2022-2023), includes funding for the Organized Retail Theft (ORT) Task Force; see page 9 for details.

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

Michael Silber2022-04-22T09:22:52-04:00April 22, 2022|Arizona|

California

The Department of Health Care Services posted the following alerts on the Medi-Cal Rx Web Portal.

Medi-Cal Rx Policy for Requesting Alternative Medication in Case of Supply Shortage (April 15)
Medi-Cal Rx Policy for Requesting Alternative Medical Supplies or Enteral Nutrition Products Due to Supply Shortages (April 15)
Medi-Cal Rx List of Resources (April 11)
Prior Authorization Status Notifications (April 11)
Medical Supplies Update on Pen Needles (April 11)
Medi-Cal Rx Coordination of Benefits (COB) Reminder (April 8)
Dexcom Therapeutic Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) – Issue Resolved (April 7)
Medicare Remit Easy Print Software for EDI 835 Files (April 5)
Medi-Cal Rx 101 Trainings for April 2022 (April 4)

- Friday, April 22 – 2:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. PST
- Friday, April 29 – 2:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. PST

Enteral Nutrition Update: Temporary Interchange of Equivalent Contracted Enteral Nutrition Products Due to Recent Formula Recall (April 4)
Monoclonal Antibodies for the Outpatient Treatment of COVID-19 as a Pharmacy Benefits (April 1)
Changes to Pneumococcal 15 & 20 Vaccines (April 1)
Medi-Cal Rx Monthly Bulletin (April 1)
Changes to the Contract Drugs List (April 1)
Changes to the Contract Drugs List (CDL) – Over-the-Counter Drugs (April 1)
Changes to Contract Drugs List (CDL) – Authorized Drug Manufacturer Labeler Codes (April 1)
Updates to the Medi-Cal Rx Provider Manual (April 1)
How to Find Covered Drugs (March 28)
Deadline Reminder: Electronic Claims Agreement (March 25)
- By April 30, 2022, all participating Medi-Cal Rx pharmacy providers and billers need to submit a Medi-Cal Rx Telecommunications Provider and Biller Application Agreement (DHCS Form 6500) to continue submitting electronic claims without interruption. Refer to the Medi-Cal Rx Electronic Claims Agreement alert, originally posted on December 31, 2021.

Medi-Cal Rx Policy Updates: Consolidated Listing (March 25)

Also in California, the Board of Pharmacy posted the following to the website:

Legislation and Regulation Committee Meeting Agenda – April 26
Communication and Public Education Committee Meeting Agenda and Meeting Materials – April 26
Full Board Meeting CORRECTED Agenda – April 26-27

Also in California, AB 852, related to e-prescribing software requirements and prescriber exceptions to e-prescribing requirements, was amended on April 18.

Finally in California, AB 1651 was amended on April 18, creating the Workplace Technology Accountability Act. Among its various provisions, this legislation would give workers new rights with respect to their data, regulates data employers collect, regulates how employers can monitor workers, regulates the ways in which employers use algorithms to monitor workers and creates a new enforcement regime through the Department of Fair Employment and Housing. The bill is sponsored by the California Labor Federation, SEIU California, the United Food and Commercial Workers-Western and the States Council.

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

Michael Silber2022-04-22T09:24:51-04:00April 22, 2022|California|

Florida

Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed into law on April 6, two bills, HB 1209,, effective July 1, 2022, which allows registered pharmacy technicians, with appropriate training, to administer vaccines to adults, and SB 544, also effective July 1, 2022, which allows a pharmacist to dispense an emergency opioid antagonist, an auto injection delivery system or intranasal application, pursuant to a pharmacist’s order or to a non-patient-specific standing order.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.

Michael Silber2022-04-22T09:20:50-04:00April 22, 2022|Florida|