On June 12th, NACDS submitted a letter to the Department of Human Services Division of Medical Services in support of a proposed rule that would expand the availability of Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) medications and services in the Medicaid program.  If adopted, the rule would remove prior authorization for preferred oral drugs for OUD, helping to alleviate administrative burdens on pharmacists and enabling patients to receive their prescriptions in a timelier manner. Additionally, it would allow medication assisted therapy drugs to be exempt from the monthly prescription benefit limit and copay requirement, which would improve access to these important OUD therapies.

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

The Board of Pharmacy will hold a public hearing on Monday, June 15, 2020 on the following four proposed rules: 

Proposed rule of the State Board of Pharmacy would amend regulations under Rule 1- General Operations to add new language outlining expedited licensing for qualified individuals in accordance with Act 820 of 2019 and to match statutory language updated by Act 990 of 2019 to remove references to the terms “good moral character and temperate habits” along with other clean up language for clarification.  

Proposed rule of the State Board of Pharmacy would amend regulations under Rule 2 – Pharmacists to remove provisions on armed forces certificates to reflect concurrent proposed changes to Rule 1 to cover all permit types in accordance with Act 820 of 2019. The rule will also remove references to the terms “good moral character and temperate habits” in accordance with Act 990 of 2019 along with other minor clean up language.  

Proposed rule of the State Board of Pharmacy would amend regulations under Rule 3 – Pharmacy Technicians to remove references to “good moral character and temperate habits” in accordance with Act 990 of 2019.   

Proposed rule of the State Board of Pharmacy would amend regulations under Rule 11 – Criminal Background Checks to match statutory language updated by Act 990 of 2019 regarding eligibility for licensure or registration, to add language regarding Pre-Licensure Criminal Background Checks pursuant to Act 990 of 2019, and to remove outdated language regarding criminal background checks and update terms of offense rather than crime as reflected in statues. 

Also in Arkansas... The Board of Pharmacy met via teleconference on June 8th. Pharmacist Lenora Newsome was elected president, replacing Debbie Mack.  

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

The Board of Pharmacy will be conducting its June 9, 2020 Board meeting via Zoom. For more information on the agenda and conference information, go to the Board’s website the morning of the meeting – https://www.pharmacyboard.arkansas.gov/june-2020-board-meeting/22100446

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

NACDS was successful in placing an op-ed on vaccinations signed by Steve Anderson in Talk Business and Politics, an on-line Arkansas publication that covers business and political communities. The opinion letter title was “For COVID-19 vaccinations, all signs point to pharmacists.”

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

The Board of Pharmacy will be holding a public hearing via Zoom on June 15, 2020 to discuss the following rules:   

• Public Notice 
• Rule 1 – General Operations 
• Rule 2 – Pharmacists 
• Rule 3 – Pharmacy Technicians 
• Rule 11 – Criminal Background Checks 

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

NACDS submitted comments to the Arkansas Department of Human Services in support of a Medicaid state plan amendment to increase payment rates for pharmacies and other vaccine providers. Given that appropriate Medicaid vaccine payment rates are key to ensuring access to vaccine services that are vital to public health goals, NACDS comments commended the state for pursuing this rate increase. 

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

NACDS participated in conference call with Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) last week where he announced that the state had submitted a State Plan Amendment to CMS to increase the payment rates for pharmacist administered vaccines effective in late July 2020. The SPA increases the rates to $15.45 for administration of the influenza immunization. The SPA also increases rates for other Medicaid payable vaccines to $13.14. NACDS will be submitting a comment letter supporting the increase.

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

Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) announced that he would begin lifting restrictions on May 4, 2020. He recently appointed 27 leaders, including Charlie Spakes with the Arkansas Grocery and Retail Merchant Association, to his Economic Recovery Task Force to provide guidance to help the Governor develop a strategy for recovery based on the best public health information available. 

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

Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) announced Tuesday that he will be convening a special session of the legislature on Thursday to address the budget shortfall. The Governor is seeking the authority to use the state’s $173 million unallocated budget surplus to fill some budget needs after his administration cut the state’s general revenue by $353 million to $5.38 billion in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020. 

Also in Arkansas... The Board of Pharmacy postponed their April Board meeting and informal conferences. 

Also in Arkansas... The Department of Health adopted a Final rule  effective March 5th that amends regulations requiring prescribers to check related to the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) in certain situations and requires the PDMP Advisory Committee to include the chair of the State Medical Board and the State Board of Dental Examiners, or their designees. The rule also changes who may access the controlled substances database, revises requirements for the department regarding PDMP information, and specifies that a practitioner who purposely fails to access the PDMP may face disciplinary action.

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