Louisiana

Legislation, requiring prescribers to indicate on the prescription it is medically necessary if the prescriber wants more than a seven-day supply of an opioid drug dispensed, took effect on August 1.

Also in Louisiana… The Department of Health has posted two Medicaid provider bulletins:

Also in Louisiana… Senate President John A. Alario, Jr. (R), who has served in the Legislature since 1972, announced that he will retire in January due to term limits.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.

2019-08-08T09:37:31-04:00August 8, 2019|Louisiana|

Maryland

Effective Saturday, August 10, the Medicaid Pharmacy Program announced brand Revatio® suspension is preferred over its generic equivalent (sildenafil). Claims for brand Revatio® suspension must be submitted with DAW 6 code and will be priced appropriately. A Department of Health Medwatch form will not be required. Claims with any other DAW code will reject.

Also in Maryland… Effective Saturday, August 10, the Medicaid Pharmacy Program announced all strengths of brand Lyrica® must be submitted with DAW 6 code and will be priced appropriately. A Department of Health Medwatch form will not be required. Claims with any other DAW code will be rejected.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.

2019-08-08T09:35:41-04:00August 8, 2019|Maryland|

Michigan

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) announced the following appointments to the Board of Pharmacy:

  • Grace Sesi, a licensed pharmacist and CVS Health district leader in the Greater Detroit Area, was appointed to succeed Nichole Penny, whose term expired June 30.
  • Sandra C. Taylor, a licensed pharmacist and the director of pharmacy operations for Beaumont Healthcare System, was appointed to succeed Suit Hing “Mary” Moy-Sandusky, whose term expired June 30.
  • Maria Young, a licensed pharmacist and the owner of the University Pharmacy in Hamtramck, was appointed to succeed Patti Smeelink, whose term expired June 30.
  • Kelli Oldham, director of pharmacy and retail operations for Walgreens, was appointed to succeed Tyler Paesens, who has resigned, to represent the general public.

David Hills, a pastor with Stevensville United Methodist Church, was reappointed to represent the general public.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Joel Kurzman at 847-905-0555.

2019-08-08T09:33:19-04:00August 8, 2019|Michigan|

Minnesota

Continuing previous updates about the state’s compliance with CMS’ Covered Outpatient Final Drugs Rule effective July 1, the Department of Human Services will reprocess claims for dates of service from July 1-18 on Thursday, August 29 and they will appear on pharmacies’ remittance advices on Tuesday, September 17. Additional information can be found on the Minnesota Health Care Programs (MHCP) provider news and updates webpage.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Joel Kurzman at 847-905-0555.

2019-08-08T09:31:56-04:00August 8, 2019|Minnesota|

Mississippi

On August 1, Alliant Health Solutions began performing prior authorization reviews as the Division of Medicaid (DOM) transitions to a new Utilization Management/Quality Improvement Organization vendor. All prior authorization reviews in process before August 1 will be completed by eQHealth Solutions as part of the transition to Alliant. Alliant has scheduled a series of informational webinars with one date remaining in August on the 16th. To sign up for a webinar or to learn more about these changes, visit Alliant’s Mississippi Medicaid portal.

Also in Mississippi… On August 1, the DOM implemented a new opioid initiative, which affects pharmacy point-of-sale claims and applies to beneficiaries enrolled in Medicaid fee-for-service and all three MississippiCAN coordinated care plans. The initiative involves four changes that will directly impact Medicaid pharmacy/prescribing providers.

Also in Mississippi… On Friday, November 1, the DOM will implement new three-year contracts for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). CHIP will continue to be administered by two vendors, but providers should be aware that there is one important change. Molina Healthcare will replace Magnolia Health as one of the two coordinated care organizations administering the program. UnitedHealthcare Community Plan will continue to serve as the other CHIP vendor.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Leigh Knotts at 803-243-7207.

2019-08-08T09:30:52-04:00August 8, 2019|Mississippi|

Oklahoma

NACDS is soliciting members’ comments this week on the implementation of the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control’s recent announcement regarding changes to the prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) reporting requirements. As a result of the enactment of Oklahoma SB 848, prescribers are required to document any opioid prescription as being acute or chronic on the face of the prescription. As a result, the PDMP is looking to utilize this data by requiring pharmacies to report any opioid as being used for the treatment of acute or chronic pain. Along with this requirement, the PDMP is also requiring pharmacies to report a value of “99-Other” for any non-opioid controlled substance prescription.

NACDS’ analysis of this change is that most pharmacies will need to implement a block in their prescription fulfillment systems to ensure treatment type codes are being entered and reported accordingly for all opioid prescriptions in accordance with SB 848. This is creating a concern in that requiring a value of “99-Other” for all non-opioid controlled substances will create workflow issues in pharmacies which will cause a negative impact for patients.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.

2019-08-08T09:29:33-04:00August 8, 2019|Oklahoma|

Texas

In advance of the August 6th Board of Pharmacy meeting, NACDS submitted a letter approved by our members operating in Texas recommending the Board eliminate pharmacy technician ratios and expand duties. After much discussion, the Board decided to move forward on all of our recommendations and directed staff to draft a proposed rule for the November 5th meeting that would include expanding technician duties to allow techs to (1) accept a verbal order, (2) transfer a prescription, and (3) contact a prescriber to clarify a prescription. The proposed rule would also eliminate the technician to pharmacist’s ratio which is currently set at 1:4. The Board also directed staff to consult with the Medical Board regarding our recommendation to allow pharmacy technicians to administer vaccinations, and bring back to the Board at the November information from the Medical Board about delegating this task to these paraprofessionals, not a proposed rule.

Also in Texas… On July 17, the TSBP upgraded the prescription monitoring program (PMP) to allow all approved users access to an advanced analytics and patient support tool called NarxCare. In addition to the existing PMP functionality, NarxCare will aggregate and analyze prescription information from providers and pharmacies and present visual, interactive information, as well as advanced analytic insights, machine learning risk scores and more.

Also in Texas… The budget bill signed by Gov. Greg Abbott (R) included the funding necessary to integrate the state’s PMP into pharmacy data systems. The TSBP wants prescribers and dispensers to know that with statewide integration, they will no longer have to interrupt their current workflow to access the PMP. An overview of the integration process, along with informational resources, can be found on the TSBP website.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.

2019-08-08T09:27:44-04:00August 8, 2019|Texas|

California

The Board of Pharmacy is disseminating information that pharmacies are eligible to receive free drug take-back bins and paid disposal service through a federally funded program intended to combat the opioid epidemic and reduce the misuse of medications. The California Statewide Drug Take-Back Program is expected to expand options for consumers to safely dispose of unused, unwanted or expired medications – including controlled substances – for humans and pets. The program is funded by the state Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) and administered by the California Product Stewardship Council (CPSC). California licensed pharmacies, hospitals and other agencies approved by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration can apply to receive free collection bins. The program will pay for the cost of the bins, disposal service through 2020, technical assistance and promotion of bin locations. More information, including a program FAQ sheet and instructions on how to apply for a drug take-back bin, is available on the California Statewide Drug Take-Back Program website.

Also in California… In advance of the July 24 Board of Pharmacy meeting, NACDS and the California Retailers Association sent a letter expressing our concerns regarding the proposed regulations related to the “no pharmacist left alone” bill passed last session. (B&P Section 4113.5 /SB 1442, Statutes of 2018).

Also in California… Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) continues to move forward with the implementation of an Executive Order to take on high prescription drug costs. The DHCS announced this week that they will soon begin accepting proposals to implement a significant component of the state’s prescription drug purchasing plan. Under the proposal, DHCS will be transitioning Medi-Cal pharmacy services from its contracted managed care plans to its directly negotiated fee-for-service system, thereby purchasing on behalf of 13 million enrollees, as opposed to the current 2 million.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.

2019-07-25T16:44:42-04:00July 25, 2019|California|

Colorado

NACDS received a response from the Department of Healthcare Policy and Financing regarding NACDS’ comments on the proposed rules pertaining to Medical Assistance Program Integrity. Some of our suggestions were adopted by the Medical Services Board at its July 12 public hearing.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Mary Staples at 817-442-1155.

2019-07-25T16:43:35-04:00July 25, 2019|Colorado|

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