South Dakota
The Department of Health is holding weekly calls for immunizers each Tuesday at 1 pm. For more information, please join the listserve.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Joel Kurzman at 847-905-0555.
Wisconsin
ForwardHealth published an update with information about pharmacy billing and reimbursement for administering the COVID-19 vaccination.
Also in Wisconsin. Forward Health issued an update with information about its mandatory prescription volume attestation program, part of its implementation of the CMS Covered Outpatient Drugs rule.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Joel Kurzman at 847-905-0555.
Alabama
Alabama Medicaid will allow reimbursement of a vaccine administration fee to Medicaid providers who utilize federally allocated COVID-19 vaccines.
- Payment rates for COVID-19 vaccine administration will be $28.39 to administer single-dose vaccines.
- For a COVID-19 vaccine requiring a series of two or more doses, the initial dose(s) administration payment rate will be $16.94, and $28.39 for the administration of the final dose in the series.
- These rates recognize the costs involved in administering the vaccine, including the additional resources involved with required public health reporting, conducting important outreach and patient education, and spending additional time with patients to answer any questions they may have about the vaccine.
To receive, administer, and report COVID-19 vaccines, healthcare providers must enroll in the Alabama Department of Public Health’s (ADPH) ImmPRINT COVID-19 Vaccination Program. Follow the steps in the ImmPRINT Registration Roadmap to enroll.
Also in Alabama. The Department of Public Health published a notice announcing the withdrawal of a September 30 final rule that amended regulations under AAC 420-7-2 to add tianeptine to the Schedule II list of controlled substances. The rule also removed Epidiolex® from the list of Schedule V controlled substances.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.
California
Effective January 1, 2021, only California controlled substance prescription forms that will remain valid and acceptable by pharmacies will be those possessing a 12-character serial number and a corresponding barcode, compliant with the requirements introduced in new state law, AB 149 (Cooper, Statutes of 2019). The requirements do not affect prescriptions that are electronically transmitted from the prescriber to the pharmacy, or prescriptions for non-controlled substances. More information on the new laws can be found here.
Also in California. In response to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D) emergency declaration, the Board of Pharmacy extended several COVID waivers that were set to expire this month.
- Remote Processing – For this waiver, “remote processing” means the entering of an order or prescription into a computer from outside of the pharmacy. Effective through May 31, 2021, or until 30 days after the emergency declaration is lifted, whichever is sooner.
- Ratio for Pharmacists not Solely Engaged in Immunization-Related Activities – The ratio of pharmacists to intern pharmacists may increase to allow for one additional intern pharmacist for each supervising pharmacist under certain conditions. Effective through September 2, 2021, or until 30 days after the emergency declaration is lifted, whichever is sooner.
- Ratio for Pharmacists Solely Engaged in Immunization-Related Activities – The ratio of pharmacists to intern pharmacists may increase to allow for two additional intern pharmacists for each supervising pharmacist under certain conditions. Effective through September 2, 2021, or until 30 days after the emergency declaration is lifted, whichever is sooner.
- Inventory Reconciliation Report of Controlled Substances – A pharmacy must complete the required inventory reconciliation report at least once every six months rather than every three months if determined to be necessary by the pharmacist-in-charge or professional director to ensure continuity of direct patient care activities that would otherwise be impacted. Effective through March 13, 2021, or until 30 days after the emergency declaration is lifted, whichever is sooner.
Also in California. The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) established new COVID-19 testing codes. More information can be found on the New COVID-19 Testing Codes Established website.
Lastly in California. The Board of Pharmacy’s waiver request to allow pharmacists to independently initiate and administer FDA authorized COVID-19 vaccinations was approved on December 11 by the Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) (approved waiver) bridging the gap until the new law pharmacies supported is implemented on January 1, 2021. The new law, AB 1710, will allow a licensed pharmacist to independently initiate and administer COVID-19 vaccines approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the same circumstances that vaccines listed on the routine immunization schedule may initiate and administered.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
Colorado
The Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) is hosting a virtual stakeholder meeting on December 22, 2020, to gather feedback on a legislative proposal that grants regulatory boards and programs within DPO or the Division greater flexibility to respond to similar, widespread disaster emergencies in the future. Click here to register.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
Florida
The Agency for Health Care Administration published an emergency rule to adopt regulations under 59AER20-14 to require assisted living facilities to allow representatives of the Department of Health or cooperating pharmacies to enter the facility to administer to staff and resident’s voluntary coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccines. Also, an emergency rule of the Agency for Health Care Administration adopts regulations under 59AER20-15 to require nursing home facilities to allow representatives of the Department of Health or cooperating pharmacies to enter the facility to administer to staff and resident’s voluntary coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccines. The rule was effective December 1 and expires March 1, 2021.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.
Kentucky
The Department for Medicaid Services (DMS) is transitioning to a Single Preferred Drug List (PDL) for Kentucky Medicaid Fee-For-Service (FFS) and Managed Care and have published a provider notice detailing the changes. Beginning on January 1, 2021, all Managed Care Organizations (MCO) will follow the FFS (aka Single) PDL maintained by Magellan Rx Management. The Single PDL will be available for viewing on the Kentucky Medicaid Magellan Rx Portal.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.
Louisiana
On January 20, 2021, Louisiana Register, the Board of Pharmacy will publish new rules effective immediately that will add two new drugs to the Prescription Monitoring Program list of Drugs of Concern.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
Missouri
MOHealthNet has published a new Bulletin with information on COVID-19 vaccination billing. Please visit the above web link for more information.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Joel Kurzman at 847-905-0555.