Chain pharmacies have created a new chain drug committee organization called the Louisiana Alliance of Retail Pharmacies under the umbrella organization, the Louisiana Retail Association. NACDS pledged to work closely with the LARP lobbyists on key legislative and regulatory initiatives aimed at broadening the scope of pharmacy practice to help fill the gaps in healthcare.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
Governor Steve Sisolak (D) announced that he may convene a second special legislative session to address criminal justice and coronavirus-related concerns, including business and worker groups’ legal liability and worker protections.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
Reminder to all pharmacy and DME Permit Holders – NABP A NABP E -Profile number will be required for all 2021 renewals. Board Rule .1615 requires all pharmacy and DME permit applicants and holders to obtain and report an e-Profile number issued by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) as a condition of permit issuance or renewal. Details and instructions may be found here.
Also in North Carolina. The next Board of Pharmacy election is scheduled to begin November 1, 2020. One position on the Board will be filled, the Southeastern District, which is comprised of Beaufort, Bladen, Brunswick, Carteret, Columbus, Craven, Cumberland, Duplin, Greene, Harnett, Hoke, Johnston, Jones, Lenoir, New Hanover, Onslow, Pamlico, Pender, Pitt, Robeson, Sampson, Scotland, and Wayne Counties. The winner of this election will begin their term on May 1, 2021. All pharmacists actively licensed by the Board and living in North Carolina at the time of the election will be eligible to vote. Beginning November 1, 2020 pharmacists will simply log in to the Board’s Licensure Gateway and select from the list of candidates. Questions about the election or Board service in general should be directed to Jay Campbell, the Board’s Executive Director.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.
HB 943 (now Act 67) also known as the “Gag Clause Bill,” which was sponsored by Representative Valerie Gaydos (R) has been signed into law by Governor Wolf (D). HB 943 states that a pharmacy or pharmacist has the right to provide a covered individual with information concerning the cost of a prescription drug. This includes the individual’s cost-share. Additionally, under the new law a pharmacy or pharmacist may not be prohibited from or penalized by a pharmacy benefits manager for discussing the cost share information, disclosing the availability of therapeutically equivalent alternative medications, or selling to the covered individual a more affordable alternative if an affordable alternative is available. The measure applies to pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) and pharmacy services administrative organization (PSAO) contracts and is effective July 23.
Also in Pennsylvania. NACDS reminds members that pharmacies can now provide the influenza vaccine to children aged three and above according to a waiver issued by the Wolf Administration. The current statute sets the age floor at 9 years of age.
Also in Pennsylvania. The Department of Human Services (DHS) announced applicants selected through a Request for Applications (RFA) for Pennsylvania’s HealthChoices program, the Medicaid physical health managed care program. However, DHS is unable to move forward with the selections pending filed protests by three companies that were not selected. DHS may not take any further action on the procurement until the protests are resolved. The following are the managed care organizations (MCO) chosen by zone:
For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.
The Tennessee Department of Health (TDH) is preparing for all scenarios and is working to identify providers who could administer vaccinations when available. Part of this effort includes working with pharmacists to assess their level of readiness related to the distribution, storage, and administration of COVID-19 vaccinations. TDH has released a survey, seeking to collect information from pharmacies and health care facilities who would like to collaborate with TDH during a pandemic response. The purpose of this survey is to allow TDH to be prepared to distribute resources should they become available. Partnering providers are asked to consider their pharmacy’s or facility’s capacity to store, distribute, and administer the pandemic vaccine to eligible members of the public and/or to the populations they serve. This survey will also assist TDH in understanding pharmacies’ and facilities’ estimated capacity to assist in pandemic response. TDH is asking for responses that would reflect the “average” capacity for vaccine storage, which may vary by season. Of note, vaccines may require storage under freezing or refrigerated temperatures.
If interested, please submit only ONE pandemic survey per pharmacy/facility/physical location, to avoid duplicate information. Please enter complete information when answering questions regarding the pharmacy’s or facility’s storage capabilities. For TDH to approve a pharmacy or facility to store federally purchased vaccines, all requested information and documentation must be provided. Any questions or requests to make changes to the pharmacy or facility information after submission, or to opt-out of being a pandemic provider at a later date, please contact TDH at VPDIP.Pandemic@tn.gov.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.
At the upcoming quarterly Board of Pharmacy, the Board will discuss proposed rules on eliminating ratios on pharmacy technicians and interns for all classes of pharmacy, as well as expanded certain pharmacy technician duties. NACDS submitted a support letter and will testify at the public hearing. Members are encouraged to submit support letters to execassist@pharmacy.texas.gov before the Sunday, August 2, 2020, 11:59 PM CST deadline. Agenda materials are posted here, and live stream information available on this page.
Also in Texas. The Board of Pharmacy will be moving compliance inspections to virtual platforms to a new location which can be found here.
Also in Texas. The Board of Pharmacy’s emergency rule §291.30 concerning Medication Limitations expired on July 17. The rule was adopted on a temporary emergency basis in March 2020.
Also in Texas. The Board of Pharmacy will discontinue issuing 15-day renewal reminder letters to licensees after August 31, 2020 but will continue issuing 75-day renewal reminders. More information about the renewal deadlines can be found here. Select the license type to search by first and last name or by license/registration number.
Also in Texas. On July 27, Governor Greg Abbott (R) announced that Cecile Young will lead Texas Health and Human Services Commission’s 37,000-person agency that oversees both Public Health and Medicaid.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.
NACDS submitted comments to the Wyoming Board of Pharmacy in support of their rules implementing electronic prescribing of controlled substances, scheduled to go into effect January 1, 2021.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.
The Alabama Medicaid Agency’s Durable Medical Equipment Program has announced that it will make the following changes regarding reimbursement: Reimbursement for CPAP (E0601), Humidifier Reimbursement (E0561, E0562), and Mask Reimbursement (A7030, A7032, A7035). For more information, click here.
Also in Alabama. All previously published expiration dates related to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) emergency have once again been extended by the Alabama Medicaid Agency (Medicaid). The new expiration date is earlier than August 31, 2020, the conclusion of the COVID-19 national emergency, or any expiration date noticed by the Alabama Medicaid Agency through a subsequent ALERT. A listing of previous Provider ALERTs and notices related to the health emergency is available on the Agency’s COVID-19 page.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.
The Department of Human Services, Division of Medical Services, published a final rule which amended medical assistance regulations to revise the Medicaid State Plan (SPA 2020-0005) to increase rates for vaccine administration that went into effect July 1. The rule increases rates for flu vaccine administration in the physicians, nurse practitioner, ARKids B, and pharmacy programs to $15.45 and increases rates for other Medicaid payable vaccines to $13.14.
Also in Arkansas. The Department of Human Services also published a final rule that amends medical assistance regulations to revise the Medicaid state plan (SPA 2019-002) to incorporate federal standards on drug utilization review. The rule addresses claims review limitations, programs to monitor antipsychotic medications by children, fraud and abuse identification, and Medicaid managed care organization mandates. The rule also establishes mandatory drug utilization review reporting requirements.
For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.