The Department of Health and Human Services announced the next COVID-19 Medicaid Provider call will take place on March 2 at noon (Central).
Also in Nebraska, the Department of Health and Human Services has posted the DUR (Drug Utilization Review) Board March 8 meeting agenda and DUR Policy Statements (as of July 2021).
For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.
The Board of Pharmacy has proposed to adopt regulations to establish requirements for automated pharmacy systems in community long-term care facilities, hospices, state and county correctional institutions, and hospitals. A hearing is scheduled for March 18,2022 in Concord.
For more information, please contact NACDS’ Ben Pearlman at 617-515-2603.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) announced February 17th that effective immediately, masks will no longer be required indoors, except for in hospitals, assisted living centers, certain health care settings, as well as in state correctional and juvenile justice facilities.
Also in New Mexico, the Legislature adjourned the 30-day fiscal session on February 17th.
Finally in New Mexico, to better combat the opioid crisis, legislators passed HB 52 which will decriminalize the possession of fentanyl test strips. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D) has until March 9, 2022, to sign the bill into law.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
The NYS Department of Health has updated COVID guidance documents including:
For more information, please contact NACDS’ Ben Pearlman at 617-515-2603.
The Board’s revised centralized pharmacy services rule has cleared final review. The chief change achieved by the amendments is to broaden the availability of remote medication order processing from the health-system practice setting to all pharmacy practice settings.
Even though the amended rule is effective March 1, 2022, several implementation tasks need to be completed. Chief among them: Board staff need to program a registration system for out-of-state pharmacists who are not licensed in North Carolina, but who intend to provide RMOE services to North Carolina pharmacies by obtaining an NABP (National Association of Boards of Pharmacy) Verify credential. NABP staff are implementing the NABP Verify credential application process. Board staff expect both steps to be completed by April 1, 2022.
In the meantime, North Carolina pharmacies who have implemented RMOE systems under the Board’s emergency services waiver may continue to use them. The Board will ensure that pharmacies that have deployed waiver-based RMOE operations have reasonable time and opportunity to transfer to rule-based operations. The full Board will discuss implementation at its March 8, 2022, meeting.
In the coming weeks, Board staff will also publish a detailed FAQ document on the revised centralized pharmacy services rule.
Pharmacists are reminded that the Board is proceeding with additional rulemaking to permanently authorize North Carolina pharmacy personnel to perform remote work (other than physical acts in the dispensing process) for their employing pharmacy. North Carolina pharmacies who have implemented waiver-based remote work systems in North Carolina may continue to use them while this rulemaking proceeds. More information on this proposed rule is found here.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.
HB 37, a bill that NACDS and the Ohio Council of Retail Merchants jointly supported, has passed both Chambers and is on its way to the Governor for signature. Sponsored by Rep. Gayle Manning (R), it authorizes pharmacists to dispense emergency refills three times a year and requires health insurers to cover these prescriptions.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.
The Pharmacy Board will be moving to a temporary location while the office building is being renovated. The office will be down during the move, from February 28 the to March 4th. The new address is 3812 N. Santa Fe Suite 300, Oklahoma City, OK 73118.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
The Board of Pharmacy proposed to adopt the following rules. Written comments may be submitted via email to pharmacy.rulemaking@bop.oregon.gov before 4:30 p.m. on March 29 rulemaking hearing.
Also in Oregon, the Department of Human Services announced plans to lift mask requirements for indoor public spaces and schools on March 19.
Finally in Oregon, Gov. Kate Brown (D) announced that she will lift the state’s COVID-19 Emergency Declaration effective April 1.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.
The Department of Human Services released a new bulletin announcing SARS-CoV-2 Monoclonal Antibody Product Updates that includes pharmacy reimbursement rates and billing procedures.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.