Please see the Provider Notice that updates to TennCare Preferred Drug List, Clinical Criteria, and Interim Criteria below for October 2021. These changes go into effect on October 1st.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.
NACDS reminds members that beginning January 1, 2022, all health care providers must report all vaccinations to the Virginia Immunization Information System (VIIS), pursuant to Chapter 211 of the 2021 Special Session. If you are not already actively submitting immunization administration data to VIIS please contact VIISInfo@vdh.virginia.gov and a VIIS Trainer will contact, you.
Also in Virginia, the Department of Health (VDH) recently partnered with a platform to allow residents to show proof of vaccination via a QR code, rather than a paper vaccination card. VDH encourages pharmacies to become familiar with this platform as patients may show vaccination records this way. More information about this new platform can be found here.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.
Dr. Jennifer Dillaha, the Chief Medical Officer and Medical Director for Immunizations and Outbreak Response at the Arkansas Department of Health, shared statistics showing that pharmacies had administered at least 72% of the COVID vaccines in Arkansas, not counting those shots administered at hospital sites.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
Last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) released California’s COVID-19 Vaccine Action Plan outlining the following priorities given the potential of both the approval of boosters and the eligibility of children under the age of 12 years.
Also in California, due to the Fawn Fire, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) declared a state of emergency on September 27 in Shasta County. The Board of Pharmacy issued an alert reminding pharmacies and pharmacists of provisions in Business and Professions Code section 4062(b) and section 4064 to help provide prescriptions for displaced residents. The Board’s formal policy for filling prescriptions during an emergency is available in its Board Policy Statement: Disaster Response.
Also in California, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed Executive Order N-16-21 extending the telehealth services expansion. This Executive Order also extends the previous order’s provisions related to relaxing certain state and security laws for medical providers.
Also in California, Gov. Gavin Newsom(D) signed several bills related to workers and working conditions, including SB 362, legislation sponsored by the United Food and Commercial Workers and the California Pharmacists Association, that prohibits chain community pharmacies (75 or more stores under one ownership in California) from establishing pharmacy quotas as defined in the bill with certain exceptions.
Also in California, the Department of Public Health recently released the COVID-19 vaccine State Public Health Officer Order with an effective date of November 30. Please note the August 5, 2021, State Public Health Officer Order still applies, and facilities must be in full compliance with this order by September 30.
Also in California, the Board of Pharmacy is currently accepting written comments on the following proposed regulations.
Finally in California, the Board of Pharmacy distributed the September 2021 issue of its newsletter, “The Script”. Highlights include the FAQs related to the e-prescribing requirement effective January 1, 2022, and the new regulations for automated drug delivery systems.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.
The Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) that oversees multiple Boards including the Board of Pharmacy announced a joint stakeholder meeting on October 15th at 11:30 AM Mountain time to collect feedback so that they can create a list of non-controlled prescription drugs and substances that have a substantial potential for abuse and must be reported to the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) when dispensed to a patient. Webinar Registration
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
Reminder, Effective October 1, 2021, fee-for-service pharmacy claims must identify prescribers by their National Provider Identifier (NPI) and the prescribers must be actively enrolled with Florida Medicaid or the claims will be denied at the point of sale. Prescribers must be enrolled with Florida Medicaid in accordance with Title 42, Code of Federal Regulations, Section 455.410(b). For more information related to the Florida Medicaid NCPDP D.0 Payer Specifications, please reference the D.0. Specs (Updated 07/07/2021) available on the Pharmacy Information page of the Web Portal.
Also in Florida, as part of Constitutional Amendment No. 2 passed by voters in the 2020 election, Florida’s minimum wage is set for a notable increase. Effective September 30, 2021 the state minimum wage will increase from $8.65 per hour to $10.00 per hour (a 13.5% increase). In accordance with the amendment, the minimum wage is set for annual increases on the path to a $15 minimum wage by September 30, 2026. The requirement applies to both public and private employers, regardless of size. In addition to increasing pay, Florida employers also face posting obligations to reflect the new amounts, posters that comply with the posting requirement can be found here.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.
HB711, sponsored by Representative Gregory Harris (D), was signed by Governor JB Pritzker (D) on August 19, 2021. The measure will take effect on January 1, 2022 and applies to all managed care organizations and provides requirements concerning disclosure and review of prior authorization requirements, denial of claims or coverage by a utilization review program, and the implementation of prior authorization requirements or restrictions.
Also in Illinois, HB1745, sponsored by Representative Gregory Harris (D), was signed by Governor JB Pritzker (D) on August 19, 2021. The measure will take effect on January 1, 2023 and requires every health insurance carrier which provides coverage for prescription drugs to ensure that at least a certain percent of an individual’s healthcare plan must apply a flat-dollar copayment structure to their entire drug benefit.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.
For the latest information and updates impacting Iowa’s enrolled vaccine providers, please visit the Iowa Dept. of Public Health (IDPH) COVID-19 Vaccine Providers web page, and click on the most recent version of the “ Vaccine Information Brief”. IDPH posted a NEW Vaccine Information Brief (9.27.2021). Note: changes to the document are highlighted in yellow. Also, for all Iowa-enrolled vaccine providers, a weekly listserv message will be sent to emails on record; this message will include the “Vaccine Information Brief”, as appropriate.
Also in Iowa, the Department of Human Services issued INFORMATIONAL LETTER NO. 2266-MC-FFS-CVD, containing information and updates regarding the authorization of an additional dose of COVID-19 vaccine following an initial 2-dose primary series of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine for certain immunocompromised individuals. See informational letter for details about billing and coding for administration fees.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.
Both the Pharmacy Benefit Manager Advisory Council and the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Advisory Committee will be holding their quarterly meetings in Baton Rouge on Wednesday, October 13.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.