Due to an overwhelming response, the Board of Pharmacy is opening more spots for those interested in attending a listening session on pharmacists provided consultation. Seeking to minimize barriers that exist for pharmacists providing consultation to patients, the Board is interested in hearing from licensed California pharmacists to gather information to assist in evaluating the Board's current consultation requirements. In addition, separate listening sessions will be scheduled so the Board can obtain input from patients and public participants.  

Sessions will be conducted over WebEx. Please see the schedule of dates and times below. The Board respectfully requests individuals to register for ONLY ONE session to ensure other pharmacists have the same opportunity. If you previously registered for a session, please do not register for an additional session date.  

We have increased the meeting capacity; however, space is still limited, and registration is required. To register, click on the link below for your preferred session:  

• Monday, April 6, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.  

• Thursday, April 23, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.  

Questions to be discussed during the listening session include:  

1. Do you believe patient consultation is needed for all prescriptions? 
2. How and where does the pharmacist provide patient consultation? 
3. Does the patient receive the medication prior to consultation? 
4. Should the pharmacy be required to document the consultation? 
5. Can technology assist in identifying, documenting, and providing patient consultation? 
6. What challenges or barriers exist making it difficult for the pharmacist to provide consultation? 
7. What is your vision of best practice for patient consultation? 
8. Are there opportunities for compensation for medication reviews and patient counseling? 
9. If you mail or deliver prescriptions to patients, how do you provide consultation?Do you believe the requirements should be different than face-to-face consultation?  

The information provided will be considered during an upcoming Enforcement and Compounding Committee meeting.  

Also in California, the Board of Pharmacy published its 2026 Lawbook.   

Finally in California, NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Board of Pharmacy (Board) has proposed modifications to the proposed regulatory text in section 1717.11 of article 2, division 17, title 16 of the California Code of Regulations, related to REMOTE PROCESSING. These regulations were originally noticed on January 9 and approved as modified by the Board at its March 18 meeting. Materials regarding this proposal can be found online or by requesting them from the contact person identified below.  

Any person who wishes to comment on the proposed modifications may do so by submitting written comments between March 19 and April 3 to the following:  

Contact Name: Debbie Damoth  

Address: 2720 Gateway Oaks Drive, Suite 100 Sacramento, CA 95833  

Fax number: (916) 574-8618  

Email Address: PharmacyRulemaking@dca.ca.gov  

Please note comments should be restricted to the most recent modifications made to the proposed regulations. The Board is not required to respond to comments on other aspects of the proposed regulations received in response to this notice.  

Any comments previously submitted remain in the rulemaking file and will be responded to by the Board's staff as part of the Final Statement of Reasons. All written comments received by April 3 that pertain to these modifications, will be reviewed and responded to by the Board's staff as part of the compilation of the rulemaking file.  

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

The Department of Health Care Services posted the following on the Medi-Cal Rx Web Portal. Please review numerous timely, important alerts listed below.  

• Reminder: Include ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Codes on Pharmacy Claims 

• Now Active: Prior Authorization Policy Updates 

• Pharmacy Provider Dispensing Fee Self-Attestation 

• Medi-Cal Rx Monthly Bulletin for March 

• Reminder: 340B Drug Price Program 

• Prior Authorization Policy Updates, Effective March 6, 2026 

Also in California, the Board of Pharmacy posted its agenda for the March 18 full board meeting. Please note discussion and possible action related to remote processing of prescriptions, including review of comments received during the 45-day comment period.  

Finally in California, the Board of Pharmacy published its News Roundup-March 2026 that includes the following: 

• Upcoming Meetings 

• Friendly Reminders 

• Servicemembers Civil Relief Act 

• Free Trainings Updated and Now Available 

• Transition to Standard of Care 

• Pharmacist-in-Charge 

• Vaccines 

• New Requirements for Nonresident Pharmacies 

• California Medication Error Reporting (CAMER) 

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

The Department of Health Care Services posted the following on the Medi-Cal Rx Web Portal:    

• Now Active: Supplemental Claim Message: Provider Enrollment 

• Requirement for Provider Enrollment in Medi-Cal 

• Supplemental Claim Message: Provider Enrollment 

• Action Required: Enroll as a Medi-Cal Provider  

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

The Department of Health Care Service posted the following on the Medi-Cal Rx Web Portal:   

• Mass Adjustment for Lagevrio Claims Not Paying Ingredient Cost with a Date of Service November 1, 2023, through June 20, 2024 

• Mass Adjustment for Vaccines Reimbursement for Members 19 Years of Age and Older for Impacted Claims with a Date of Service January 1, 2024, through March 31, 2024 – Second Group 

• Mass Adjustment for Retroactive Enrollment in a PACE Plan for Impacted Claims with a Date of Service July 1, 2025, through September 30, 2025 

• Reminder: Changes to Medi-Cal Rx, Effective January 1, 2026 

• Action Required: Enroll as a Medi-Cal Provider 

• Reminder: Include ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Codes on Pharmacy Claims 

• Reminder: Prior Authorization Policy Updates 

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

The Board of Pharmacy is sponsoring a training program, “Inspection Expectations, Diversion Trends, Loss Prevention, Legal Updates and CURES,” on March 5 via WebEx. Pharmacists who participate will receive six hours of continuing education (CE) credit. The event is free, but space is limited and preregistration is required. The board has transitioned its registration and CE certification to its new learning management system PharmEd. To register for the event, you will need to create an account in PharmEd if you do not already have one. Training attendees who do not use PharmEd will not be given CE credit.

For information on how to register for the event, visit the Board’s website, scroll down to “Information for Licensees,” and click on “Free CE Training Registration”.

For questions about the event, email the Board.

Also in California, the Board of Pharmacy provided a sample “How to File a Complaint” notice to assist licensees in complying with Business and Professions Code section 4113.6(c). Pursuant to this section, A chain community pharmacy is required to post, in a location determined by the business to be prominent and accessible to pharmacy personnel, a notice that provides information on how to file a complaint with the Board. This notice is intended for pharmacy personnel and not for consumers. Pharmacies may use the sample notice provided by the Board or develop their own notice and determine an appropriate posting location that is prominent and accessible, if the notice complies with the requirements outlined in the Pharmacy Lawbook under Business and Professions Code Staffing requirements for chain community pharmacy section 4113.6(c).

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

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Board of Pharmacy proposed adding Title 16 CCR § 1717.11, related to Remote Processing.   

• Notice of Proposed Action 

• Initial Statement of Reasons 

• Proposed Text 

Any person who wishes to comment on the proposed text may do so by submitting written comments beginning January 9 and ending on February 24 to the following: 

Contact Person: Debbie Damoth
Agency Name: California State Board of Pharmacy
Address: 2720 Gateway Oaks Drive, Ste 100 Sacramento, CA 95833
Email: PharmacyRulemaking@dca.ca.gov
Fax: (916) 574-8618 

 Any responses to comments directly concerning the proposed addition of the text of the regulation will be considered and responded to in the Final Statement of Reasons. 

Please send your comments on the proposed text to Sandra Guckian by close of business on February 9.  

Also in California, as part of the Board's actions during the January 26-27 Board meeting, the Board approved a policy statement related to Pharmacy Intern Hours Earned Outside of Formal Experiential Training. The Pharmacy wishes to provide licensees with information on its policy related to this transition.  

Also in California, the Board of Pharmacy issued the following information regarding "Corresponding Responsibility Considerations for Dispensing Buprenorphine". 

State and Federal law establish that pharmacists share a corresponding responsibility with prescribers to ensure controlled substances are dispensed solely for a legitimate medical purpose and within the bounds of professional practice. Because buprenorphine is most often prescribed for the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD), its therapeutic intent should be a key part of the pharmacist's evaluation. Pharmacists are legally required to verify the legitimacy of the prescriber and the appropriateness of the prescription. This assessment should reflect buprenorphine's established role in preventing withdrawal, reducing cravings, supporting long-term recovery and lowering rates of overdose, emergency department visits, hospitalizations and death.

Research consistently shows that access to buprenorphine is protective. Given the clinically significant distinctions in buprenorphine's use, pharmacists are obligated to balance vigilance for potential concerns with an understanding that delaying or denying buprenorphine can expose patients with OUD to serious harm. 

Pharmacists should also be aware that commonly cited indicators of potentially fraudulent controlled substance prescriptions do not always translate well to buprenorphine used for OUD treatment. Long travel distances, telehealth prescribing, cash payment, early refills or use of multiple pharmacies often reflect limited availability of prescribers or pharmacies, particularly in rural or underserved areas, rather than misuse or diversion. Because interruptions in buprenorphine therapy can increase the risk of relapse and overdose, pharmacists are encouraged to take these access challenges into account, communicate with prescribers when questions arise and support continuity of care when prescriptions are determined to be legitimate. 

Additional resources are available to assist pharmacists in identifying practice considerations, including "The Pharmacy Access to Resources and Medication
for Opioid Use Disorder (PhARM-OUD) Guideline, A Joint Consensus Practice Guideline from the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy and the National Community Pharmacists Association." 

Finally in California, the Department of Health Care Service posted the following on the Medi-Cal Rx Web Portal:  

• Upcoming Pharmacy Professional Dispensing Fee Provider Self-Attestation 

• Medi-Cal Rx Monthly Bulletin for February 

• User Administration Console (UAC) Registration – Next Steps 

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

The Department of Health Care Service posted the following on the Medi-Cal Rx Web Portal. Please review the numerous changes to Medi-Cal Rx effective January 1, 2026. 

• Reminder: Include ICD-10-CM Diagnoses Codes on Pharmacy Claims 

• Changes to Medi-Cal Rx, Effective January 1, 2026  

• Upcoming Pharmacy Professional Dispensing Fee Provider Self-Attestation 

• Restricted Pharmacy Benefit Coverage for Emergency and/or Pregnancy-Related Services for Select Medi-Cal Aid Codes, Effective January 1, 2026 

• Medi-Cal Rx Monthly Bulletin for January 

• State of Emergency Override Activation: Submission Clarification Code 13 

• Mass Adjustment for Vaccines Reimbursement for Members 19 Years of Age and Older for Impacted Claims with a Date of Service January 1, 2024, through March 31, 2024 

• Mass Adjustment for Enteral Nutrition Products for Impacted Claims Reprocessed on May 29, 2024 

• Restricted Pharmacy Benefit Coverage for Emergency and/or Pregnancy-Related Services for Select Medi-Cal Aid Codes, Effective January 1, 2026 

• GLP-1 Coverage Considerations 

• Update: Medi-Cal Rx Physician Administered Drug Temporary Policy Reinstatement 

Also in California, the Board of Pharmacy published a Special Edition of The Script newsletter  dedicated to AB 1503, the Sunset Measure for the Board of Pharmacy. This Special Edition focuses on: 

• Standard of Care 

• Nonresident Pharmacies 

• Inspection of Nonresident Pharmacies 

• Establishing Pharmacy Technician Advisory Committee 

• Self-Assessment Process  

• Define Pharmacy Technician Trainee 

• Define Pharmacist 

• Title Change to Advanced Pharmacist Practitioners 

• Enforcing Pharmacy Law 

• Pharmacist-in-Charge, Staffing 

• COVID-19 Oral Therapeutics 

• Emergency Refill Provisions 

• Dispensing Hormone Therapy 

• Pharmacy Records and Digital Conversion 

• Ownership Prohibition 

• Reporting to CAMER 

• Chain Community Pharmacy Employee Notice 

• Pharmacy Technician Duties 

• High Risk Patients 

• Retired Pharmacists License 

• Mail Order Pharmacies 

• Fees: Medically Underserved Area 

Also in California, the Board of Pharmacy issued a notice to licensees to renew registration with the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) for the California Medication Error Reporting (CAMER) System by January 31. Business and Professions Code (BPC) section 4113.1 establishes requirements for a community pharmacy to report medication errors to an entity approved by the Board. 

Finally in California, the Department of Managed Health Care issued All Plan Letter RE: APL 25-020 (OPL [Office of Plan Licensing]) – Newly Enacted Statutes Impacting Health Plans (2025 Legislative Session). Please review information related to AB 116 and SB 41, PBM reforms enacted in 2025. 

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

On December 29, 2025, the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) became aware of a preliminary injunction issued by the US District Court in Maine blocking the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) from implementing the 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program, which was set to begin on January 1, 2026, pending further legal action. The preliminary injunction applies to the implementation of the 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program in the state. In light of the issuance of the preliminary injunction, DHCS will not implement the policy guidance previously provided specific to the drugs that are part of the 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program until further notice. Accordingly, providers should continue submitting Medi-Cal Rx and medical claims, as applicable, consistent with all existing Medi-Cal 340B billing policies.

Also in California, required system upgrades to the Medicaid Management Information System (CA-MMIS) are scheduled to take place on January 11. The upgrade may go into an extended maintenance period, which begins at midnight on January 11 and may continue through 10:00 am on January 11. During the extended window, the Medi-Cal Point of Service (POS), Automated Eligibility Verification System (AEVS), Leased Line vendors, Case Management Information and Payrolling System (CMIPS) and certain Transactions Services on the Medi-Cal Providers website applications may experience intermittent issues.

Also in California, as announced last year, CalRx partnered with Civica to make insulin more affordable and accessible statewide. Beginning January 1, 2026, CalRx/Civica Insulin Glargine pens will be available to California pharmacies at a cost of $45 per 5-pack of 3 mL pens, with a suggested maximum retail price of no more than $55 for consumers. To help patients locate pharmacies that plan to carry CalRx insulin, CalRx intends to publicly post participating pharmacy locations; see CalRx Pharmacy Survey to provide input. For more information, see resources listed below. For additional questions, please contact CalRx (info@calrx.ca.gov) or Civica (insulinquestions@civicarx.org).

• Pharmacy Fact Sheet (key details about the product, ordering and distribution)
• CalRx® Insulin Glargine Patient Flyer(this is a pdf file)
• CalRx® Insulin Glargine Patient FAQs(this is a pdf file)
• CalRx® Biosimilar Insulin Fact Sheet: English(this is a pdf file), Chinese-Simplified(this is a pdf file), Chinese-Traditional(this is a pdf file), Korean(this is a pdf file), Spanish(this is a pdf file), Tagalog(this is a pdf file), Vietnamese(this is a pdf file)
• Biosimilar Insulin Agreement with Civica Foundation(this is a pdf file)
• Biosimilar Insulin Agreement with Civica Foundation Amendment 1(this is a pdf file)

Also in California, the Board of Pharmacy published its Board of Pharmacy News Roundup (January 2026). Please review the news in its entirety for important updates and information.

Finally in California, the Board of Pharmacy seeks to remind affected licensees about Proposition 34, a ballot initiative that was approved by the voters in November 2024. Proposition 34 added the Protect Patients Now Act of 2024 (Act) to the Welfare and Institutions Code (see sections 14124.39-14124.52). Among its provisions, the Act establishes requirements for a “Prescription Drug Price Manipulator” (as defined in subdivision (l) of WIC section 14124.48) to report specified information to certain agencies, including the Board, by no later than April 30, 2026. Public comments related to the Act, and information relating to entities that qualify as Prescription Drug Price Manipulators, may be submitted to Prop34@dca.ca.gov.

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