NACDS submitted written comments to the Alaska Board of Pharmacy supporting their quick acting temporary rules expanding pharmacy and technician practice, that will become permanent. 

Also in Alaska… The Department of Health & Social Services submitted to CMS an 1135 waiver which was approved May 7th. Temporary policies include: no cost-sharing for testing services; allowing service provision and reimbursement of services provided by qualified and enrolled Alaska licensed pharmacists practicing within their authorized scope of practice, statewide standing orders authorized by the AK Chief Medical Officer and HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health; claims for medications with day's supply up to 68 days shall be permitted unless medication is on the 90-day list, then 90-days will be permitted; allow for a professional dispensing fee to be reimbursed no more than every 14-days per individual at $15.86 for "on road" pharmacies, and $23.78 for "off-road" pharmacies.  Shipping will be reimbursed regardless of the location of the pharmacy or beneficiary; and covered outpatient drugs dispensed by a retail-based pharmacy, when a medication's acquisition cost exceed the standard "lesser of" payment methodology logic, providers may petition for reimbursement at WAC + 1% on a claim-level basis through the point-of-sale and bypass the FUL and NADAC. 

For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.

The Alaska Board of Pharmacy held an emergency meeting this week to draft emergency rules to deal with COVID-19.  The rules, once approved by the Lt. Governor, will expand certified pharmacy technician duties, expand pharmacists’ duties allowing them to administer injectables according to the prescriber’s directions and eliminate the Alaska Jurisprudence Intern Practice Questionnaire, in addition to other emergency related changes.  The Board will meet again this week to vote on the final changes.  They will be posted with a FAQ sheet on the Board’s website upon finalization.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.

The Alaska Medicaid will hold a “scoping session” Friday, February 21, 2020 to discuss, among other pharmacy issues, the results of the recent cost of dispensing study and a timeline for including pharmacists as providers in the Medicaid portal. The meeting will be from 12:30 p.m. – 2 p.m. Alaska Standard Time. A copy of the notice can be found here.

For more information, contact NACDS’ Sandra Guckian at 703-774-4801.