In The States – Page 366 – Weekly news about states

Colorado

NACDS submitted a statement to the Senate Business, Labor and Technology Committee in support of SB19-079, legislation that would require Schedule II, III and IV controlled substance prescriptions to be electronically prescribed. The legislation subsequently passed the Senate and was introduced in the House and assigned to the Public Health Care & Human Services Committee.

Also in Colorado…NACDS submitted a statement to the Senate Health and Human Services Committee opposing SB19-005, legislation establishing a commercial prescription drug importation program in the state. NACDS outlined how the legislation would violate federal law against drug importation, undermine federally mandated security protections of the drug supply chain and increase the risk of counterfeit drugs in the state’s drug supply chain and thereby compromise patient safety.

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

Karen White2019-02-22T08:45:58-05:00February 14, 2019|Colorado|

North Dakota

SB 2231, pertaining to collaborative practice agreements, was unanimously passed by the Senate and has been delivered to the House. NACDS submitted a letter of support to the preceding Senate Human Services Committee process.

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

Karen White2019-02-22T08:32:55-05:00February 7, 2019|North Dakota|

Nebraska

LB 442, pertaining to medication synchronization, was unanimously advanced from the Banking, Commerce and Industry Committee to the General File. NACDS submitted a letter in support. The Unicameral website featured a short article on the proceedings.

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

Karen White2019-02-22T08:29:45-05:00February 7, 2019|Nebraska|

Alabama

Medicaid issued an alert announcing effective Friday, February 1, the agency will begin reimbursing Medicaid-enrolled pharmacy providers for the administration of hepatitis A vaccine to eligible recipients ages 19 years and older. Medicaid will, in addition to the administration reimbursement, reimburse pharmacies for the hepatitis A vaccine.

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

Michael Angeloni2019-02-05T14:24:28-05:00January 31, 2019|Alabama|

Arkansas

There are several bills of interest to chain pharmacies that have been filed, including mandating e-prescribing for all controlled substances (SB 174), allowing pharmacists to vaccinate anyone 7 years of age and older (HB 1278), allowing pharmacists to dispense oral contraceptives (HB 1164) and permitting substitution of interchangeable biosimilars (HB 1269).

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

Michael Angeloni2019-02-05T14:23:27-05:00January 31, 2019|Arkansas|

California

The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) announced that they are targeting the Medi-Cal pharmacy fee-for-service reimbursement rate changes to begin Saturday, February 23, meaning that DHCS will retroactively adjust impacted claims with dates of service between April 1, 2017 and the targeted February 23 date of implementation.

Also in California…On January 15, the online attestation portal opened for Medi-Cal fee-for-service pharmacy providers seeking the higher of two professional dispensing fees as part of the forthcoming reimbursement changes for covered outpatient drugs.

Also in California…On January 28, NACDS and the California Retailers Association submitted a joint letter to the Senate Business and Professions Committee in support of AB 149, legislation allowing for a staggered implementation of the new serialized number requirement. Under AB 149, serialized numbers on security forms for controlled substances would take effect no later than Wednesday, January 1, 2020. In addition, the measure would authorize dispensers to fill prescriptions written on otherwise valid forms that do not meet the new serialized number requirement until Friday, January 1, 2021.

Also in California…On January 7, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed an executive order that seeks to create a single purchaser for prescription drugs. Specifically, the order seeks to create negotiating leverage for prescription drug costs by moving all purchasing of high-cost, “high-priority” pharmaceuticals to one entity and, with respect to Medi-Cal, all pharmacy services to fee-for-service.

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

Michael Angeloni2019-02-05T14:22:16-05:00January 31, 2019|California|

Colorado

On January 31, the Senate Health and Human Services Committee held a hearing on SB19-005, a bill that creates the “Colorado Wholesale Importation of Prescription Drugs Act”, under which the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing shall design a program to import prescription pharmaceutical products from Canada for sale to Colorado consumers.

Also in Colorado…HB 19-1077, legislation allowing a pharmacist to dispense an emergency supply of chronic maintenance medications under certain circumstances to a patient without a prescription passed the House on January 28.

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

Michael Angeloni2019-02-05T14:20:23-05:00January 31, 2019|Colorado|

Louisiana

The Department of Health Bureau of Health Services Financing will be holding a public hearing on Thursday, February 28 on proposed rules amending the Pharmacy Benefits Management Program changing the pharmacy ingredient cost reimbursement methodology from average acquisition cost (AAC) to the national average drug acquisition cost (NADAC).

Also in Louisiana…The Board of Pharmacy finalized regulations that took effect on January 20 modifying the prescription monitoring program regulations to include naloxone as a drug of concern, thus requiring reporting and tracking for public health purposes.

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

Michael Angeloni2019-02-05T14:19:07-05:00January 31, 2019|Louisiana|

Ohio

The Board of Pharmacy published guidance reminding dispensers that effective Tuesday, March 19, they will be required to report certain products containing naltrexone to the Ohio Automated Rx Reporting System (OARRS). The guidance encourages dispensers to work with their vendors to ensure any system updates that may be needed are in place by the deadline.

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

Michael Angeloni2019-02-05T14:17:26-05:00January 31, 2019|Ohio|