The Family and Social Services Administration’s (FSSA) Indiana Health Coverage Programs (IHCP) Medicaid posted a bulletin with new pharmacy updates approved by the Drug Utilization Review Board July 2024.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
Board of Pharmacy was moved from the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to the Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing (DIAL). Upon the transition to DIAL, all health profession programs were combined into one with one set of rules, requiring a common naming convention. The Iowa Monitoring Program for Pharmacy Professionals (IMP3) will now be the Iowa Professional Health Program – Pharmacy (IPHP-Pharmacy). The program’s role is to provide pharmacy professionals and student pharmacists with support for recovery from substance use, mental health issues and other physical conditions.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.
The Board of Pharmacy reminded pharmacy technicians that they must pass a national technician certification exam before the first renewal or, if previously registered, at the time of application. The Board approved the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) and the National HealthCareer Association Examination for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians (ExCPT).
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
The Department for Medicaid Services covers items such as wheelchairs, orthotic appliances and disposable medical supplies when ordered by an approved prescriber and are medically necessary. If your pharmacy is enrolled as a Medical Supplies, Equipment and Appliance (MSEA) provider (PT90), you may bill covered nutritional supplements and disposable supplies as a medical benefit under provider type 90. Reimbursement amounts are listed in the Medicaid MSEA Fee Schedule and defined in 907 KAR 1:479. Billing and enrollment instructions are available online. For children under 21 years of age, an item not listed on the MSEA fee schedule may be covered under Early Periodic Screening Diagnosis and Treatment Services (EPSDT) Special Services which requires prior authorization. For assistance, please contact the EPSDT Special Services Coordinator at ivy.sams@ky.gov.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.
The Council on Medicaid Pharmacy Reimbursement met on July 30 to receive updates from the Department of Health (LDH) on the state’s single PBM, the Medicaid PDL and the Myers and Stauffer dispensing cost survey that will be distributed to pharmacies in early August.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
The Maine Board of Pharmacy held its regular scheduled meeting on August 1, 2024. The agenda included proposed rulemaking on:
The next meeting will be a rulemaking subcommittee meeting on August 19, 2024.
For more information, please contact NACDS’ Ben Pearlman at 617-515-2603.
The Massachusetts Board of Registration in Pharmacy posted its August newsletter. Included in this newsletter is information about pharmacy license renewals.
Also in Massachusetts, the formal legislative session ended early in the morning on August 1. The legislature failed to pass a conference report for S2520, an Act relative to pharmaceutical access, costs and transparency. The bill would have included reporting to the Health Policy Commission, PBM licensure, audit regulations, prohibition of spread pricing and other fees and required drug rebates returned to consumer. As both chambers have unanimously passed their versions of the bill, there is a slight chance the legislature could advance the bill during informal sessions; however, only one member of a chamber is needed to prevent floor action. NACDS will continue to advocate for PBM policy principles in Massachusetts during the informal legislative session for the remainder of the year and prepare for the new session in 2025.
For more information, please contact NACDS’ Ben Pearlman at 617-515-2603.
The Board of Pharmacy posted the August 14 full Board and Disciplinary Subcommittee meeting agendas.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.
The Department of Human Services announced that the new pharmacy adjudication system implementation date has been delayed until November 4, 2024.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.